Scott’s gaze lowered to her chest, a slow smile creeping across his face. ‘You know we have the chalet to ourselves? Magda and the guests won’t be back until at least five and Sophie and Amelia are spending the evening in Geneva.’
‘Oh, really?’ She tried to sound causal and failed miserably.
‘So, if you’re okay what do you think about getting out of the tub and saying hello properly?’
The sparkle was back in his eye, whatever clouds there had been between them seemingly blown away. The breath left her body.
She’d been pretty much ready for him from the moment he touched her shoulder.
‘Okay.’ Any last vestige of shyness ebbed away as she stood up, revelling in the feel of his eyes on her body and the dilated pupils betraying his desire.
He wants me. The thought gave her courage and a newfound awareness of her sexual attractiveness. She thought she might do anything he wanted if he had the power to make her feel like this.
He took her hand to help her out of the Jacuzzi and tugged her back towards the chalet. She was happy to let him take the lead. She could trust him.
She did trust him, at a level deeper than conscious thought.
He led her to the living room fireplace. Holly was glad she’d stoked the fire when she got back from the doctors and had put fresh logs on it. The dancing flames licked at the logs in a sensuous way that reminded her of Scott's fingers and tongue exploring her body.
If he didn’t do something soon she’d explode.
He tugged at the strings of her bikini top and bottoms and as they fell to the floor he stared at her naked body as though he were appreciating a painting. The heat from the fire warmed her wet skin.
Too impatient to wait, she stepped forward and tilted her head up to kiss him, her hands around his neck and her fingers in his hair, her tongue probing and exploring his mouth, wanting to go deeper and deeper. Wanting, or rather needing to move things on she slid her hands down and up underneath his T-shirt, desperate to feel skin on skin and delighting in the taut, firm flesh she discovered.
Her fingers explored his hard chest and nipples and she provocatively pressed her own bare breasts against his flesh, her nipples twitching and budding even harder against his warm skin.
His erection stiffened, hard as granite against her stomach through his Salapettes. He broke off the kiss, breathing heavily as he yanked his T-shirt off and slid quickly out of his other clothes, seeming in as much of a hurry as she was.
‘I want you,’ she whispered in his ear, feeling liberated and surer than she’d ever been about a first time. She didn't want there to be any doubt about what she needed. She shivered with anticipation, willing him to hurry up, not wanting anything to come between them again.
‘The feeling’s mutual. Although I have to say I was looking forward to having to persuade you.’
He reached out and trailed one finger from her collarbone down to her abdomen, stopping tantalisingly above her pubic bone.
‘Mmm, that sounds…like fun.’ Urgent need throbbed between her legs. ‘But I think I need you to speed up to the part where you fuck me.’
He raised both eyebrows, pretending to be shocked. She smiled, backing away to position herself on the rug in front of the fire, glad she had the power to surprise him. She slowly parted her legs for him, training her eyes on his face, watching for the answering gleam in his eyes and enjoying her power to turn him on. After all why shouldn’t she take the lead?
‘Wait,’ he exhaled audibly as he reached for a foil packet from his jacket pocket.
‘Would you… like me to do it?’ She asked tentatively. He nodded and handed it to her, kneeling in front of her, his eyes as solemn as she’d ever seen them.
This means something to him, I’m sure of it. I’m not just another lay.
I mean something.
She slid it on, sheathing him and growing even wetter with anticipation when she realised how hard he was for her.
‘Are you going to finish what you started then?’ Her breath caught in her chest. She hadn’t breathed properly since the moment he’d spoken, breaking her daydream.
‘Am I ever.’ His eyes flickered with desire, sweeping appreciatively over her body.
He lay down beside her, kissing her mouth, her neck, her breasts, while all the time stroking her between her legs. She squirmed under his touch, dripping wet for him already and desperate to feel him inside.
Impatiently she angled herself against him.
‘Please,’ she gulped. ‘I need you inside me. Now.’
He rolled over and raised himself on his arms above her, pressing the tip of his erection between her legs, waiting for an agonising moment before he entered her. Then he thrust while she ran her hands over his back and buttocks, pulling the whole length of him deeper inside her, moaning softly as he took her.
Sex had never felt so right, so utterly intoxicating.
‘That’s…God that feels so good,’ she gasped, arching back against him, wriggling on the soft cow-skin rug, enjoying the sensations rippling through her body. Soon she was beyond speech, immersed in a tide of pleasure as endorphins saturated and sated her body.
As the wave of pleasure ebbed, Scott cried out, tensing and shuddered inside her. For a moment he lay on top of her and she didn’t mind his weight but clasped him to her. They lay still that way for a while. She liked that he'd come inside her at last. It felt right, necessary to her somehow.
She slowly exhaled and then took her first proper, deep breath since he’d disturbed her in the Jacuzzi.
He rolled off and lay down close beside her. ‘I might have to discipline you, you know.’
‘Oh, why?’ She turned her head on the rug to stare into his eyes, so close their noses were almost touching.
‘Sex with other members of staff is forbidden,’ he replied solemnly.
‘Get stuffed,’ she snorted with laughter and then grabbed a faux fur cushion from the sofa, lobbing it at him. He caught it and lobbed it back at her and soon they were having a boisterous pillow fight with the cushions.
Holly laughed until her chest ached. Then she caught a glimpse of herself in the large pine mirror.
Who is that girl? She looks happy.
She collapsed back down on the rug, lying on her back. ‘I’m knackered, all this sex and skiing is too much for me.’
‘I hope not. I’ve a surprise planned for tonight.’ He rolled on his side and played with her hair, twisting it around his fingers as he spoke.
‘Not night skiing. Please not night skiing.’ She shuddered theatrically.
‘You’ll have to wait and see, but right now I have something else I need to do.’
‘Oh?’ she tried to keep her disappointment from showing.
I’m so crap at playing it cool.
‘Yes, I have something I need to finish. I did say it might take some time, and I’m not sure I got it right first time round…’ He broke off to kiss her and then he produced a fresh foil packet. ‘I want to make love to you again.’
Make love, not sex!
Yes, she was in no doubt this was now about making love. It was a phrase she’d never used before when it came to sex, deeming it too corny, too out of touch with the reality.
But it felt right to describe … this…thing that was happening between them. He cradled her beneath him as he pushed himself deep inside her, holding her gaze, staring into her eyes in a way that made her feel truly connected, truly one with him.
Then slowly, very slowly, he began to rock inside her until the wave of pleasure roared through her body, sweeping away her anxieties and flooding her senses again.
Peace and contentment radiated through her sated body. For the first time she'd met a man she didn't have to pretend to be someone else with, a man who seemed to like the real Holly, preferred her even.
Boy, was that a good feeling.
***
Scott’s Landrover barely registered the snow and thick ice on the roads. Holly drank in the wint
er wonderland scenery, the snow reflecting white in the car’s headlights. She loved the tiny lights of the villages, twinkling unbelievably high up in the mountains and admired the floodlit castles of Sion, providing a dramatic backdrop for the valley.
‘I’ll tell you where we’re going when we get there,’ Scott replied to Holly for the umpteenth time.
They drove high up into the mountains, eventually taking a concealed turning down to what looked like a new chalet-hotel complex.
‘It’s a brand new development,’ Scott said. ‘It’s due to open next week but the owner owes me a favour and has given us the exclusive use of it tonight. It’s the natural thermal baths and Jacuzzi complex around the back that we’re visiting.’
‘But I haven’t got my swimming costume,’ she said, and then flushed as he turned to her and raised an eyebrow.
‘It’s very private, don’t worry.’ He grinned. ‘Only the mountain Marmots will be able to see what we get up to and I think they’ve probably got better things to do.’
‘You’re a very bad man Mr Hamilton.’ Holly attempted a prim voice.
‘I know I am. Isn’t it fun?’
‘I’m reserving judgement.’ She turned to look out of the window but was smiling.
For the first time since she’d got to Verbier she hadn’t flinched inwardly at the word ‘fun’.
In fact, she realised with a start, I am having fun.
She felt free, carefree in a way she'd never felt before.
They parked in the deserted car park. Plastic sheeting and scaffolding still adorned part of the chalet building but mellow, low-level lighting lit the surrounding grounds and pool complex.
‘It looks magical.’
‘I’m glad you like it. Better than night skiing?’ He joked.
‘Definitely. But are you seriously expecting me to swim outside, naked? Your car temperature gauge read well below freezing on the way down here and look, it’s snowing again.’
They both gazed up at the soft, powdery snowflakes now falling steadily, adding to the substantial fall beneath their feet.
‘If you've never been swimming in the snow, you haven’t lived. The water is really warm, like a giant hot bath. Trust me. Just look at the clouds of steam coming up from the water.’ He tugged her towards the entrance and pulled out a set of keys to let them into the indoor complex.
‘Well, come on then.’ He pulled his jumper and T-shirt over his head. ‘Or am I going to have to undress you?’
‘Just you try,’ she answered and shrieked when he advanced with clear intent in his eyes.
He grabbed her by her hoodie and they ended up in a tangle of limbs on one of the very stylish loungers.
When they stopped laughing, they kissed, hands stroking, exploring and removing clothing, until Holly didn’t know where she ended and he began.
‘I like you a lot, Holly Buchanan.’ Scott stroked the side of her face and held her chin so he could look into her eyes.
‘I like you too.’ Holly wriggled against him, enjoying the intimacy, basking in that lovely sensation of having all night to make love with Scott. No desperate hurry, just pure, decadent indulgence.
We have all the time in the world.
‘Let’s swim.’ He stood up and she followed him over to the indoor pool that in turn lead outside to the natural thermal pools.
‘You’re nuts.’ She lowered herself into the pool. But the temperature of the water surprised her, the heat enveloping her like a hug. It was as though she’d stepped into a giant’s piping hot bathtub. ‘Oh, it’s lovely.’
‘I told you. You really should have more faith in me,’ he replied, lifting up the plastic flap that stopped the cold air from entering the building so they could swim underneath it to the outdoor pool complex. In this outdoor pool numerous jets cascaded into the pool and several areas were taken over by bubbling hot Jacuzzi shelves shaped like cradle beds.
‘Oh Fab!’ Holly swam over to one of the Jacuzzi beds and scrambled up, letting the jets ease away any last vestiges of self-consciousness. ‘How do we get to the original natural pools?’
A faint aroma of sulphur hung in the otherwise pure mountain air and steam billowed from the natural pools tumbling from the mountain source. Clearly no amount of snow or sub-zero temperatures could cool them.
‘We have to walk over the snow barefoot.’ He grinned at her.
‘You’re joking?’ She looked doubtfully at the thick layer of snow that lay between them and the natural pools. ‘They do look pretty though, almost magical with all that steam, like dry ice.’
‘They are magical,’ Scott replied, poker-faced.
‘Oh really, so what happens?’
‘You have to make a wish.’ He kept a straight face, only his lips twitching.
‘Let’s go then.’ She hoisted herself out of the pool and shrieked as her feet sank into the snow. The latent warmth of the Jacuzzi sustained her until she made it to the steaming natural pools.
She sank down into the pool gratefully and Scott jumped in next to her.
‘I’m impressed,’ he said. ‘I thought I’d have to drag you kicking and screaming through the snow.’
‘You would have liked that, wouldn’t you?’ She rolled her eyes. ‘I’m sure there’s a bit of caveman in you.’
She giggled as he moved closer to her, kissing her neck and running his hands over her breasts beneath the surface of the hot water. He found and gently squeezed her nipples, then cupped them as he increased the intensity of his kisses.
‘There’s a bit of caveman in every man.’ He paused and looked up, directly into her eyes. ‘Would you like me to demonstrate?’
‘Not yet, I haven’t made my wish,’ she protested.
‘Okay, let’s make our wishes. Mine is quite serious though.’
‘Oh?’
‘Whoever I’m seeing romantically, and right now I’m hoping that will be…well, you Holly. I need that person to be one hundred per cent straight with me. That’s all I need.’
‘That’s your wish?’ Holly frowned, was he accusing her of lying or… ‘Are you talking about my CV thing again? I thought we were over that?’
‘Hey, we are.’ He planted a soft kiss on the top of her head. Her hair was covered with snowflakes by now but she still felt deliciously warm. ‘I do have an…issue, I suppose you’d call it about people lying to me. I’ll tell you why sometime. The thing is, I like you as you are, Holly. You don’t need to pretend to be like the other girls. I like it that you’re not. It’s okay to be yourself, I quite like the real Holly Buchanan, as I was saying earlier.’
His foot gently nudged hers under the water and she knew he meant to reassure her. Frankly she didn’t know what to feel. Massive relief that Scott understood her and had given her permission to stop trying to blend in competed with terror she hadn’t succeeded, that she’d so obviously stood out.
The real Holly Buchannan suddenly felt naked in more ways than one and it scared her.
‘Hey, are you okay?’ He nudged her again. ‘Why don’t you tell me your wish?’
‘That I could always feel as free and happy as I feel with you.’ The answer tripped off her tongue before she’d even thought about it.
‘We’d better make sure we’re together a lot then.’ He nuzzled her neck and stroked her breasts again.
Soon her misgivings were forgotten. She kissed Scott back with a hunger that took her by surprise. They’d made love twice today and she still wanted him with an intensity that took her breath away.
When she pulled back for air, she smiled at him. ‘I’m not doing it lying down in the snow, whatever you say.’
‘Shall we go back to the lounger?’ His eyes were dark with desire, the café noir tones melting into inky blackness, his voice husky.
‘Okay.’
With less shrieking this time round, Holly stepped quickly through the snow and then sank into the bliss of the hot Jacuzzi before swimming over to the indoor complex.
She har
dly remembered she was naked. She felt sexy. That had to be a first. Perhaps these thermal springs were magical after all.
***
He was in deeper than he’d planned. Scott couldn’t believe he’d been so carried away he could’ve continued right there in the pool without the condoms that were still in his jeans pocket.
Holly was special and all the more so because she didn’t seem to know it. He could stroke her soft curves all day long, look into her eyes and enjoy the connection he found there. He thought he’d be able to talk to her, when it felt right, about what had happened to his sister and the awful low he’d hit after her death.
In other words he had it bad.
They made love slowly, stroking, kissing and fondling each other with an intensity that made it hard for him to hold back. He postponed his climax with difficulty, so he could make sure she’d been tipped over the edge into orgasm.
Then she straddled him, wavy auburn hair cascading over her shoulders onto her pale, rosy-tipped breasts. She looked directly into his eyes all the while. Finally he believed those words about two becoming one. He’d had plenty of sex before. He’d even had sex that meant something.
But he’d never had sex like this.
He suspected it was new territory for her too. It was too early to talk about this being serious but while he might not be ready to verbalise it, he knew without a doubt something special was happening.
Later he fetched the white robes and slippers left in the cloakroom for them and took her upstairs to the Thermal centre café, not yet opened.
‘Would you like some champagne?’ He led her to a clear glass table that had been decorated with a multitude of tea-lights.
‘Yes please.’ She sat down at the table, her hair falling in wild waves around her shoulders; her face flushed a rosy pink.
He poured a glass of champagne for her and a glass of mineral water for himself.
‘Aren’t you drinking?’ she asked.
He could lie and say it was because he was driving. They were extremely strict about drivers’ blood alcohol levels in Switzerland.
But how could he even contemplate lying after what he’d said to her?
‘Actually Holly, there’s something I need to tell you.’ He sighed. Of course he couldn’t lie. He needed to be straight with her, even though this was heavy stuff for what was essentially a first date.
Confessions of a Chalet Girl: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance Novella Page 6
