Five Night Valentine

by Emilia Beaumont

  “What the hell are they for then?” she grumbled that elicited a winning grin from me.

  “Turns,“ I answered and pointed at the trees in the distance. “So, you don’t end up in there like a piece of meat on a skewer. Unless you like kebabs?”

  She looked up and visibly swallowed. “I knew that.”

  “Alright then,” I said.

  She was stubborn I had to give her that. Angel didn’t seem like she was going to give up. Was she actually going to try the slope?

  “You ready to do this? It’s a long way down…”

  Angel took a breath and exhaled a cloud of frost, and before I could stop her she pushed off toward the hill, angling left. Building up speed.

  She squealed and I raced after her, seeing the panic in her awkward movements. She was going to kill herself attempting to go down this slope! Before she could crest, I tackled her from behind, knocking her off the path and into the fresh snow that had been pushed up on the side by the other skiers.

  "What are you doing?" she asked as I landed on top of her, crusted snow all over the both of us.

  I looked into her eyes, a spurt of anger welling up inside me. “You crazy fool. You can’t even ski! Are you trying to kill yourself?”

  Her jaw set before she looked away. “Who says I can’t ski?”

  “Me! What were you thinking?”

  “Fine. I can’t ski.”

  “Like I didn’t already know that,” I blew out a breath and laughed as she pushed back her ski cap. “Were you really going to launch yourself down that hill?”

  “I just, I had got this far,” Angel started, frustration in her eyes but a smile on her rosy lips. “I thought I could wing it. Doesn’t look that hard.”

  I laughed again, unable to help myself. “Not that hard? You’re insane. There is no winging it going down one of these, though I have to hand it to you, I’ve never seen anyone wanting to prove me otherwise.”

  Her lips pursed together, and I was struck by her natural beauty, the bright blue of her eyes. Despite the layers of clothing I had on, I could feel the shot to my cock, rising against my thermals. Shit. What was it about this woman that had me wanting her so badly?

  “Well,” she finally said with a little laugh. “Now you know I can bluff.”

  “You sure can,” I replied, wistfully, my gaze dipping back to her lips.

  All I had to do was lean in, a little closer, and she’d be mine.

  “I’m holding you from your skiing. You should go… I can make my own way down.”

  I shook my head and pushed out of the snow, stepping out of my skis before extending my hand toward her.

  “I’m not leaving you up here alone. Come on. I can get you up.”

  She accepted my gloved hand and I helped her back onto her skis, the force sending her careening towards me and knocking us back into the snow. Her laugh rang in my ears as I felt her body pressed up against mine.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said, breathless. “You’re right. I suck at this.”

  I looked up at her, not caring that the wetness was seeping into my suit, freezing my ass. “I never said you sucked… but I’m glad you finally admitted it. You just need lessons.”

  She grinned, and I felt my chest tighten in response. I wanted to kiss her so badly I could taste it. I wanted to feel her frozen cherry red lips against mine, her gasping under my touch. What the hell was happening to me?

  "I can admit when I'm defeated. Stick a fork in me, I am so done. It's not even funny. These legs weren't made for skiing. They're barely good enough for walking; I'm so clumsy."

  No, I thought. Her legs were made to be wrapped around my waist as I ploughed deep into her… my snow spraying hard and fast.

  Ignoring the warmth that was swamping my body and the vision in my head, I grinned at her.

  “Let’s celebrate your bravery over some hot chocolate, and then maybe dinner? And tomorrow I’ll show you a few moves. Teach you how it’s done.”

  “But—”

  “No buts. I’ll make a skier out of you before our time is over.”

  We were going to be stuck together for three more days and I was going to enjoy myself. Especially this connection between us.

  Her eyes widened, and she attempted to scramble off me, her knee narrowly missing my raging cock. “I, um.”

  I pushed myself to my feet and helped her step out of her skis, gathering both sets.

  "It will be fun. Unless you have other plans? Don't tell me you have another man hidden away in our suite that wants to wine and dine you?"

  She looked away and I could see she was fighting with her response. It only made me want to find out more about her.

  “A-alright, but just dinner.”

  “Just dinner,” I answered, already thinking of how I might get her into my bed, I mean our bed. Hell, I would've taken her right there and then if she'd let me, but the cautious look in her eye made me think she'd probably push me down the slope if I came on too strong. Either way I would have her. I would slate the pure physical need that was driving me now. The captain was in charge, at the helm and my hands were off the wheel. But we both had one goal in mind to bury myself in her body.

  I wasn’t going to stop until she was my perfect little valentine.

  Seven

  Angel

  What on earth was I thinking?

  I fluffed my hair in the mirror, seriously contemplating telling Nick that I couldn't do this. He would probably laugh and tell me that it was just dinner, that people had to eat, but of course, it wasn't the dinner part that bothered me. He'd flirted with me all day after we made it back down to base; he'd helped me with my skis, got me hot-chocolate, and that's not even taking into account the incident with the morning wood… And the way my dirty mind was working, dinner never merely meant just dinner. There was always some ulterior motive.

  Images of Tim breaking up with me at the restaurant where we’d had our first date careened by in the fast lane of my mind, like a speeding car attempting to evade the pursuing cops.

  But Nick wasn’t Tim. I reminded myself. I didn’t even know the guy. Sure we’d spent one innocent night together, but that was it. I didn't know where he was from or what he did for a living. All I knew is he'd licked his lips when he'd invited me to dinner and didn't like wearing boxers to bed. And if my response, my thudding heart and pulsing nether regions were anything to go on, then he wasn't just inviting me to eat.

  There would be dessert, and coffee, we’d go back to our room… and oh god was I really ready to go with the flow tonight, to whatever it led to?

  Given the heat between us earlier, I could guess what it could lead to. Could I, the one that always shied away from one-night stands let my hair down for a change? But what if it was a disaster? Think of the awkwardness, I told myself.

  A part of me shouted: but what if it isn’t a total train wreck? What if the night is everything you long and need it to be? Fireworks and explosions with encores lasting several more days and nights?

  My own dirty Valentine’s week. I shuddered with pleasure. No, I couldn’t.

  “You’re an adult, Angel, you can do whatever you want to do,” I muttered, giving myself one last glance. Adults had casual sex quite often, but just because I was coming off another relationship didn’t mean that I was looking for rebound sex.

  And if I was, what was so bad about it?

  Either way, I didn't have to decide right there and then… I could play it by ear.

  After all, dinner for once may mean an innocent three-course meal, and overthinking everything would only drive me insane.

  Shaking my head, I exited the bathroom and stepped into the bedroom on my way to meet Nick.

  Nervously, I’d chosen something a little more appropriate for an evening in the fancy restaurant, a solid black dress that barely reached my knees and my coveted red heels that matched my daring lipstick. Why I had brought either of them with me was beyond my comprehension, but I was glad I did cons
idering my date tonight.

  I scolded myself. It wasn’t a date. We’re just two adults who have been put in an awkward situation, being polite to each other, having a simple meal. Passing the time.

  Nick's back was facing me as I entered the living room, giving me a great view of his backside. He was dressed casually in a pair of dark pants and blue dress shirt. Gah, what had I done right to grab this guy's attention? He was so out of my league. I almost sighed with dreamy longing. But I didn't care; tonight I could pretend he was my date… my valentine.

  After all, we wouldn’t see each other after this short getaway so I could, well, I could do whatever I wanted to.

  The devil inside me was waking up. And she was horny.

  The thought was terrifying and liberating.

  “Hey,” he said, turning. His mouth parted as he caught his words. “Wow, you look… wow.”

  “Thanks,” I said, taking in a breath. “Ready?”

  “Yes, ma’am!” He gave me a quick grin, offered his arm and together we made our way out of the suite and down to the first floor near the bar. “Want to grab a drink or two first?”

  Anything to calm the nerves that were overtaking my body, I nodded. “Sure. That sounds great. Just no cocktails.”

  "What do you have against cock—oh, yes. Right, of course. Sorry, I forgot. Strictly beer and shots then." He laughed, his hand landing on my lower back to steer me in the right direction.

  I bit my lip as I felt the heat sear clear through the material of my dress, my body on instant high alert. I was like a guard dog, ears pricked up and ready to pounce on any intruder. God and I so wanted to pounce on him. What would it be like for him to touch me all over? Sensational, I bet. Was I really thinking like that?

  He moved us to the bar and ordered two beers, his eyes on me. "So, Angel, I feel like we've skipped a few steps. You already have me in your bed, but I have no idea who you are or what you do?"

  I laid my clutch on the bar. “I could say the same thing about you, Nicholas, or is it just Nick? Though, I do suppose the mystery is appealing.”

  "Oh, you think so, huh? And only my mother calls me Nicholas."

  I nodded and shyly glanced up at him. “You could be anyone… I mean I could pretend you’re an astronaut or a spy, or a bodyguard.”

  “Bodyguard’s turn you on huh? See a little Kevin Costner in me?” Nick teased.

  “I didn’t say that!” I gasped and blushed. “I just mean… oh, never mind.”

  "No, I get it," he said as I felt his gaze travel the full length of my body. "With those heels, I reckon you could be a ruthless businesswoman, the kind that buys companies on the brink of death but then chops them up into itty-bitty pieces anyway. Or alternatively a high-powered defence attorney. You'd have all your guilty clients begging for it."

  I snorted. "I changed my mind, with thoughts like that, you belong in the gutter."

  "Maybe, but you're smiling. I can't have said something that terrible…"

  "Well, the joke is on you, mister. I'm just a lowly assistant at a law firm. What about you? Was I even close?"

  “Kinda, but you can’t tell anyone… It’s top secret.”

  “What?” I said a little breathy.

  He leaned in. “I’m scheduled to leave Earth in a few days, so it’s only right that we take advantage of our time together.”

  "You're an astronaut?" I gasped. He laughed, his eyes crinkling with mirth. I shook my head and scolded him with my most fierce stare. "You're terrible!"

  “And you’re a little gullible,” he replied amiably, not a trace of malice in his tone.

  "Or too trusting."

  He shrugged. “Perhaps. But you have nothing to fear from me, Angel. I promise you that.”

  "I'll remember you said that. So, tell me, spaceman, what do you really do?"

  “The truth this time?”

  “You better!”

  "Okay," he chuckled, "I've started up my own security business." Our beers in slender pilsner glasses arrived, and he thanked the bartender.

  I held my glass up, giving him a grin. “To new ventures then.”

  “Agreed and to free holidays,” he said, clinking his glass with mine before taking a sip. “I was in the military before that.”

  So that explained his fit physique and the tattoo I spied on his arm when he’d darted out of the shower earlier. “I’m assuming it wasn’t exciting enough? Not enough Barbies for the G.I. Joe?”

  That made him laugh, and I felt the rumble of it all the way to my toes. "No, not that. It was time to do something different. For myself and my family. It's actually a joint business venture with my brothers. Something we never thought we could do but always wanted to try… Pop encouraged us to go for it, but we never did. Then he died, and it kinda put everything into perspective. How much time we'd wasted by being scared."

  “Sorry to hear about your dad.”

  Nick nodded, his smile thinning. “Thanks, but it’s okay.”

  I gulped my beer. Thank god the booze went down much better than the night before, I thought and wondered how to make him smile again. "So do you have a big family? Wife? Kids? Picket fence?"

  “Would you be disappointed if there was?”

  “I’m just asking questions, Nicholas.”

  "Uh-huh," he said not believing me. He nodded. "No other-half and no rug-rats. But a big fat yes on the big but annoying family. Of course, I wouldn't change them for the world. They were not happy that I was going to be absent this week; a new contract came up. But I needed some time off and couldn't exactly pass up the free vacation, now could I?" He shot me a wink.

  I felt a twinge of jealousy as I heard the happiness in his voice when he mentioned his family. There was a lot of love there despite the annoyance he proclaimed. For a second I wished I had someone in this world now. My parents were gone, died when I was young and for years I'd been cared for by an elderly aunt, who had also passed away. Up until recently, all I had was Tim, and now he was gone as well.

  “What about you? You look like the picket fence would suit you.”

  I shook my head. “No picket fence. No one.”

  “Really?”

  "Really. Not even a cat." I went on to tell him about my family's history. He was a good listener, not like Tim who would always interrupt me or tell me how things would get better. False platitudes that annoyed the hell out of me. But Nick, he was genuine.

  After a moment Nick raised his half-empty glass. "Well then, here's to new friends."

  He studied me, softly with kind eyes and clinked his glass with mine. I knew he was merely being nice, but his words and that smile still meant the world to me. I mean, after this trip he was probably never going to see me again anyway.

  “You get used to it after a while.”

  Nick looked at me, and I hated to see the pity in his eyes. It was the same look that Tim had the first time I had told him about my absent family.

  “Please don’t look at me like that. You don’t need to pity me.”

  "I'm sorry," he said automatically. "I didn't mean to offend you, and I wasn't thinking that. I was thinking how absolutely amazing you are."

  I laughed, setting my beer on the bar top. “Wow, now that’s a pickup line if I have ever heard one. A lame one too. Besides, you barely know me, Nick.”

  He grinned, and I was surprised to see the dimple reappear in the corner of his mouth. Oh, dear god could he look any more gorgeous?

  "It wasn't a pickup line, I swear. It was the truth."

  “Pull the other one.”

  "No, really. Today you were literally about to fling yourself off a mountain with no prior training, and now I find out that not only are you brave, but strong too. I don't need to know anymore. I know enough. My statement stands; you are amazing. Maybe a little crazy, but still… remarkable. Though that doesn't mean I don't want to know more.”

  I flushed, fiddling with the bracelet on my arm. “Well thanks, I think. You’re probably right on the
crazy part. I can’t believe I nearly did that today. But at least you know my deepest, darkest secret now.”

  He arched a brow. “What’s that?”

  “That I can’t ski.”

  Nick threw back his head and laughed, causing a few people around the bar to look at us. "That you are not lying about. I swear you could have killed yourself today."

  "Well, it was a good thing you were there to stop me."

  “It was,” he said and leaned over. He touched my cheek unexpectedly, sending a ripple of sparks down my spine. “And that would’ve been a travesty. I would’ve lost my favourite bed-warmer,” he said with a breathy whisper so close to my ear.

  I pulled back to look into his warm eyes, feeling the draw towards him that I wanted desperately to fight. This wasn’t good. This was dangerous. I wasn’t a casual sex kind of girl.

  But could I be? I so wanted to be right then. It had been a long time since a guy was into me and I could do either of two things about this: I could fight it, or I could throw myself off another cliff for the second time that day.

  Without another thought, I bolted towards the edge and jumped, pressing my lips to his.

  His shock registered through our first kiss and for a split second I felt like an idiot. That I’d made a terrible miscalculation. What the fuck was I doing?

  But when his hand wrapped around my neck and pulled me closer, I knew I hadn’t made a mistake.

  “Maybe we should skip dinner?” he breathed.

  Eight

  Nick

  Damn. Pipped at the post. I’d had every intention of laying one on her then she got there a moment or two sooner.

  But score one for me, regardless. Angel was kissing me. That meant she was keen. And who could blame her? I was a catch… and it was Valentine’s week after all.

  At first, my mind couldn't register the fact that she had made the first move, especially since I'd spent the entire day thinking about doing just this.

  But she had, and now I was having my first feel of her soft lips against mine, the tentative movements as she brushed them across, searching, waiting for my response. She did it once, then twice with a soft sigh. I pulled her closer, taking over the kiss, nearly devouring her mouth with mine, lacing my fingers into her hair until I elicited another sigh out of her. Hell yes, this was what I wanted.