by Ann Lister
“Reading,” she lied. Truth was, she was laying in bed thinking about him and wondering how Saturday would play out for them. Wondering if they’d be able to reconnect again or if they’d simply get closure on a lost opportunity.
“Do you still want to see me on Saturday?” he asked.
Colby closed her eyes. Saturday was several days away and she really didn’t want to wait that long. If he had told her he was standing outside the door to her room, she would have jumped with joy and welcomed him with a warm kiss.
“Colby? Does your pause mean you’ve changed your mind about seeing me?”
“No. I’m looking forward to Saturday.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Is there something on your mind, something you want to talk about now?”
“I’m fine, Nick. How about you?” she asked, then heard him sighing loudly.
“There’s a lot I want to say and questions I want to ask, but I don’t want to keep you up all night. It won’t be easy, but I can wait until Saturday. We’ll talk then.”
“That sounds good,” she said.
“Maybe then, you can say what you need to say, too.”
“I can’t make that promise.”
“Why not?”
“You’d think after waiting this long, I’d be filled with relief to finally get it over with, but now…all I feel is the fear of letting it go.”
“Why fear?” he asked.
“I’m fearful of saying too much…revealing too much.”
“Don’t be. It’s better to say too much, then not to say anything at all. I learned that lesson, when I let you walk away before I found the balls to tell you what I was thinking and feeling.”
“You have an amazing ability to make sense of my problems,” Colby said.
Nick laughed. “Even when the problem is me?”
“You’re not the problem, Nick - I am. I may be able to speak five different languages, but when it comes to articulating my own feelings, my English fails me.”
“Okay, then tell me what’s on your mind in French,” he said.
She drew in a long breath, contemplating her words.
“Vous etes un homme tres sexy et je suis dans l’amour avec toi,” Colby rattled through the French phrases and giggled when she finished. “How was that?”
“I have no idea what you just said, but it sounded sexy as hell.”
“I’m glad you thought so,” Colby said.
“Are you going to translate for me?”
“No. It’s too personal.”
“That’s not fair,” he said.
“Maybe I’ll tell you on Saturday, but I’m not making any promises.”
“You don’t have to make me any promises, Colby. We’ll spend the afternoon together and we’ll talk, clear the air and see what comes of it. No pressure. No guarantees.”
“Sounds good.”
“Meet me on the deck outside the lodge at noon and we’ll go from there,” Nick said. “And, if you change your mind between now and then, call me.”
“I’m not going to change my mind,” Colby reassured.
“Good, because I really need to see you,” he said quietly.
“Me, too.”
Colby spent most of Saturday morning, getting ready for her date with Nick. He had asked her to dress warm, which excluded the option of wearing a skirt. She changed her outfit three times before she settled on a set that suited the occasion; black ski pants and a light blue, cashmere sweater over an insulated undershirt. She applied a little make-up and covered her lips with gloss, then slipped on her winter parka. She took one last deep breath and left her room to meet Nick.
He was already waiting for her on the lodge deck, when she arrived. He was leaning up against the railing, looking in her direction, dressed in dark jeans and his black ski coat. With each step she took, she saw the smile on his face grow larger. He stood upright, when she stopped beside him, and extended his hand to shake.
“I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced,” he said, trying not to laugh. “My name is Nicolas Phillip Gaffney, but you can call me Nick.”
Colby smiled shyly and tipped her chin to him. “It’s nice to meet you, Nick,” she said, playing along with him. “My name is Colby Ann Hansen.”
Nick raised his eye brows and smirked. “Nicely done,” he said, loving the way the sun made her blue eyes sparkle. “Are you ready to go for a ride?”
Colby nodded.
“Follow me,” he said. He took her by the hand and led her toward the steps to the deck. “I’m glad to see you dressed warm. It could get chilly riding up the mountain on the back of my snowmobile.”
“I’ll use your body as a windbreaker,” she said, taking the helmet from his hands.
Colby placed a pair of sunglasses over her eyes, covered her hands with gloves, and secured the helmet in place, before sitting on the back of the snowmobile.
Nick did the same and slid into place in front of her. He started the engine to the machine, then reached back and touched her on the thigh. “All set?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said, leaning in close to his ear to talk over the roar of the snowmobile.
Nick removed his hand from her leg and slid on his gloves, before accelerating the engine. He smiled when he felt Colby’s arms tighten around his ribs and her face pressing against his back. He loved the way her body fit against him, the warmth of her legs rubbing against his and, as he expected, his cock began to harden. She clung to him with a natural ease, leaning with him into the curves as they took each corner on the trail leading to the summit. Their closeness felt relaxed and pure, even though he was certain her stomach was filled with as many butterfly’s as his.
Nick cut the engine to the snowmobile, when they reached the top of the mountain, but remained seated. He turned his body to see her and smiled. “Last December, I promised I’d show you the view from the summit. This is it,” he said, directing her attention to the horizon and the continuous mountain range before them.
Colby stood up from the snowmobile and removed her helmet and gloves. “This is absolutely amazing, Nick,” she sighed with appreciation.
Nick removed his helmet and gloves, then swung his legs to the side of the seat and cautiously watched as she approached the rim of the trail. “Don’t get too close to the edge, Colby, unless you want to spend the next several weeks in a cast,” he said. “I think you’ll get more than a sprained ankle if you fall off the edge of this trail.”
Colby spun around and looked at Nick. The sight of him was almost as gorgeous as the expansive mountain range at the horizon, each breathtaking in its own way. “Is that supposed to be funny?” she asked, eying his long legs, crossed at the ankle, extending out in the snow.
“No, I’m being honest.”
“Would you crawl over this embankment to save me like you did last time?” she asked with levity. She stepped back to the snowmobile where he was sitting, a small grin beginning to curl her lips.
“I’d crawl over hot coals to save you,” he said standing up in front of her.
“Really?”
Nick tried to hide his smile. “I’d rather not have to do that, but I would - if I had to.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Why? Are you planning to test me on that?” he asked. He reached for her hand and entwined his fingers with hers.
Colby dropped her gaze to their clasped hands. His fingers were strong and warm, holding onto her with a gentle firmness that made Colby feel safe. Without much thought, she reached for his other hand and laced her fingers with his. She watched him rubbing his thumbs on the back of her hands, then slowly lifted her eyes to meet his. The physical connection still lingered between them. She could feel it burning between their bodies and saw the effects of it reflecting in his brown eyes.
Nick stepped forward and slowly slid his arms around Colby, almost expecting her to pull away, but she didn’t. Instead he felt her fall a
gainst him and set her hands onto his waist. He didn’t say anything and neither did she. It felt like a moment of clarity. Their physical closeness brought about the realization of how deeply he had missed her, and what it meant to have her back in his life. Nick held on to her for several minutes, tenderly stroking her back.
“Are you ready for lunch?” he finally asked.
Colby glanced at him and smiled. “Yes.”
“The parking lot is up around the corner,” he said, and put the helmet back onto his head.
Colby did the same and took her seat behind him. A few minutes later, they pulled into the snow covered lot of the restaurant. Nick parked the snowmobile and removed his helmet and gloves.
The restaurant was an enormous chalet style building, set at the top of the mountain, well above the natural tree line. It felt like if they stretched, they could reach and touch the clouds, as they passed by overhead.
Nick held her hand and directed her onto the wrap-around deck first, before heading inside. The view was beyond description. Colby stood with her eyes wide at the sight. Nick went through a quick geographical history of what she was looking at.
“I don’t know what to say,” Colby said, and shook her head in disbelief.
Nick grinned. “That’s how I felt, the first time I stood here and my impression hasn’t changed since. The view from this mountain still affects me the same way, somehow putting everything into place.”
Colby turned to him. The peace she saw in his eyes was immense. She felt it, too - like coming home, it felt right. It felt comfortable.
Nick ran his fingers across her cheek and smiled. “Do you want to see the inside?”
Colby’s face flushed red from his touch. She nodded and took hold of the hand he extended to her, walking beside him to the restaurant door. Inside, Nick asked for a table near the expanse of windows facing the mountain range in the distance. The hostess directed them to a private table near the front corner. Nick pulled a chair out for Colby to sit and then sat down beside her, instead of across from her. He wanted to be as close to her as possible.
When they were finally settled at their table, Colby took a moment to scan the enormous room. The structure was built using post and beam construction, with all the beams inside exposed, giving it the rustic appearance like that of a log home.
“So, Colby Ann Hansen,” Nick started. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself?”
Colby turned to Nick, saw his smile and melted. She knew what he was trying to do and she appreciated his efforts. “What do you want to know?”
“When’s your birthday?” he asked, reaching for his water glass.
“July seventeenth.”
“Dare I be so bold to ask your age?” he asked, taking a gulp of water.
“I’m twenty-three,” Colby said.
Nick nearly choked on his water and grabbed for his napkin to cover his mouth. “Excuse me?” he said. The shock from her answer was evident on his face.
“I’m joking, Nick. Relax. I’ll be thirty-four in July.”
Nick rubbed at his forehead, obviously relieved with her answer.
“What’s the matter, Nick? Is twenty-three too young for you?” Colby teased.
He tipped his head and nodded. “Ideally, I prefer women closer to my own age.”
“Is that why you didn’t want to date Lana?”
Colby watched Nick sit back in his chair. His body language told her he was uncomfortable with the topic of conversation and wondered if she had crossed a line asking the question. “I’m sorry,” she said. “That’s none of my business.”
“I don’t mind answering, Colby, but you may not appreciate the honesty of my answer.”
Colby turned her gaze out the windows and focused on the mountain range in the distance.
“Lana wasn’t interested in ‘dating’ and I wasn’t particularly interested in doing what she was suggesting, so it never went much further than a few kisses,” he said. He watched Colby’s face as she absorbed the information. He saw her eyes close and wondered what she was thinking, then reached for her hand on the table.
When Colby felt his touch, she turned and faced him. “I had dinner with John Lancaster,” she said matter-of-factly, as if clearing her own conscience.
“After the night I saw you with him at the club?” Nick asked.
“He called me a few days after that and asked me out,” Colby said, a nervous shrug lifting one shoulder. “We had dinner in the lodge and then went for a walk around the resort.”
“Colby, you don’t need to say any more.”
Her gaze fell to her lap. “He kissed me a few times,” she said.
Nick’s eyes focused on the slice of lemon floating in his water glass. “Do you want to see him again?”
She shook her head and shifted in her chair. “I felt nothing when he kissed me and he knew it; which prompted him to ask if I was already seeing someone.” She looked at him; her eyes began to fill with tears. “He asked if you and I were involved.”
“Really?”
“He said he saw the way we looked at each other at the club and sensed there was something between us.”
Nick smiled. “That’s very perceptive of him.”
A bottle of white wine arrived at their table and Nick filled two glasses, handing one to Colby. “Here’s to our first official date, which will hopefully lead to more,” he toasted.
Colby sipped from her glass and studied his expression. She sensed he had something on his mind and wondered if he’d say it aloud or keep it to himself.
“Are there any rules or limitations to what I can ask you, Colby?”
“I suppose not, as long as I’m allowed the same privilege.”
Nick nodded and took another sip of his wine. “I’d like to talk about the four days we spent together. Would that be okay?”
“Nick…”
“Colby, I think you agree, our time in the cabin needs to be discussed. It’s obvious something pretty significant happened there - something neither of us was prepared for or expected. And, in case you’re wondering, I’m not referring to the sex - which for the record, was the best I ever had.”
“Nick, please! There are people around! Do you really want to discuss this here?”
“All right, we can talk about the sex later,” he grinned.
He bent forward and reached for her hand again, the expression on his face suddenly turning serious. “I want you to know, I’ve never felt that kind of…connection with anyone before. It was overwhelming to the point I couldn’t talk about it. I didn’t know what to say. It honestly scared the shit out of me.”
Colby’s eyes filled with tears. “I can’t do this here,” she whispered. “It’s too intimate.”
Nick nodded and used his fingers to rub the back of her hand. “Okay. You’re right,” he relented. “We can talk about all of that after lunch.”
“Thank you,” Colby said, forcing a smile and wiping at the tears beneath her eyes.
“Please, don’t cry, Colby. I’ve seen your tears far too much since you returned to the resort. I want to make you happy, like I did at the cabin. Do you think that’s possible?”
She held his gaze, the power of his eyes making her chest tighten. “I wish I knew the answer to that question.”
The waitress arrived and took their food order, then left them alone again. Nick studied the features of Colby's delicate face. He had every detail of her entire body firmly etched into his memory, but seeing her up close again was powerful.
“How’s your ankle?” he asked, breaking his own trance.
“It’s fine and the cuts on my legs healed pretty good, too. I have a slight scar on one, but the other two you can hardly tell where they were.”
“Good. I’m glad,” he said.
“My doctor in L.A. told me you took excellent care of me, which prevented any serious scarring.”
“That’s also nice to hear,” he said.
Lunch went by in a blur, each easing
back into a comfortable cadence of dialog, but being careful not to allow the subject matter to become too intimate. Colby talked about her new job at the resort and the clients she was working with, while Nick listened intently to every word that spilled from her beautiful mouth.
It felt perfect and Nick couldn’t help but feel hopeful this could be the beginning of something beautiful between them. A launching pad to start over from where they had left things and a chance to make it right.
Chapter Nine
Two hours later, Nick finally paid the bill for their lunch, then escorted Colby outside to his snowmobile, handing her a helmet.
“I’d like to show you something else,” he said, “Unless you’re ready to head back to the lodge.”
“Show me what?” she asked, and pulled on her helmet.
Nick smiled and sat down on the seat. “It will take a few minutes to get there, so get comfortable.”
Colby scooted up close against his back and crossed her arms over his stomach.
“Careful where you put your hands, Colby. If they drop any lower, I can’t be held responsible for driving us off the trail and into a tree.”
She pressed her forehead to his back and laughed. He always knew just what to say to put her at ease.
Nick zigzagged the snowmobile across the trails until finally they began to pass several cabins scattered about in the woods. Nick pulled up in front of one and cut the engine.
Colby looked at him and waited for an explanation. She watched him slide off the seat and remove his helmet.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“This is where I live,” he said, removing his gloves.
“Is this still part of the resort?” she asked, unbuckling her helmet and standing.
“Technically, no. All the cabins on this side of the mountain are privately owned. I bought this one about ten years ago.”
Colby followed him onto the front porch and waited while he unlocked the door.
“The layout is a lot like the cabin where you were staying, but mine is smaller, with two bedrooms instead of the three and four bedroom units your boss rented.”
Colby stepped inside and pulled off her boots by the door. Her eyes drifted around the interior and she smiled. A feeling of warmth and comfort surrounded her. The living room was on the left side of the cabin and had a large stone fireplace. The walls were covered in light pine boards and several exposed beams connected the roofline of a cathedral ceiling. Behind the living room was a kitchen and to the right were two bedrooms, separated by a bathroom. The master bedroom was bigger than the spare bedroom and had a large picture window occupying the front wall, which framed a beautiful view of the woods.
