“Your, er bed.” Tash gestured towards the king size sleigh bed, feeling vaguely stupid. “Sorry, I never know how to show people their rooms without sounding like a twat. Holly usually does this bit. As far as I’m concerned a bed is a bed and if you can’t work out the difference between the ensuite and a wardrobe or work the switch for the blinds well…you don’t deserve to have it pointed out to you. Not you obviously, I wouldn’t imagine for a minute that…I think I’ll just shut up now.”
Argh. What is happening to me? This is not like me.
“I quite agree.” Nate laughed and her chest relaxed in relief. “I hate it when hotel staff insist on showing me how my room works. I always want to tell them to sod off and leave me in peace.”
Tash wanted to say ‘me too’ but then she’d never actually stayed in a hotel. The odd cheap guesthouse and B&B but nothing grander than that.
See? We have nothing in common. Nothing.
“So, everything’s okay?” She hovered, pulling her arms across her chest again, not wanting to adopt a defensive posture but not knowing what else to do with her arms.
Does he want me to sod off?
“Everything seems great,” Nate said, feeling the mattress with one hand while staring straight at Tash. “Nice and firm, just how I like it. How about you?”
“Um…” Tash’s body had heated up so much she half wondered if she had a temperature. She wasn’t a novice when it came to sexual tension or flirting. In fact she considered it her specialist subject but this…Never had she felt so jumpy, so physically jolted by an attraction and it was freaking her out.
This really won’t do.
She was used to being the one in control, not the one being played. Sex meant very little to her. It had always been a currency, a source of power, a way to get physical affection and sometimes even to get a roof over her head.
“I only get a bunk bed to sleep in so I’m probably not the right person to ask.” She stood rooted to the spot, her gaze fixed on the mattress where Nate had patted it.
“Is that right?” Nate asked, eyebrows raised.
About the bunk bed or not being the right person? Damn, does he think I’ve just told him I’m not interested?
Nate pulled his red tie off and flung it onto the bed, maintaining eye contact as the silence stretched taut between them. The corners of his mouth twitched; he was playing her all right.
All Tash could think about was Nate using that tie to bind her wrists while he bent her over the bed and did very bad things to her.
She blinked hard, trying not to gape at Nate as he discarded his jacket. Beneath his shirt she could see he was as fit as she’d first thought. Gym body, rugby playing fit. Hard taut muscles fit.
Oh God.
She inhaled deeply, trying to locate her sanity. Wishing she had the small talk gene after all.
It’s just sexual desire. Someone’s turned the dial up on the intensity, that’s all.
She’d always assumed people were exaggerating when they used words like ‘irresistible’ or talked about love at first sight. It wasn’t love, how could it be if you didn’t even know the person? It was a primeval response to mate, a need just like hunger or thirst.
It just went to show it meant nothing if she was experiencing these…feelings for a man like Nathaniel Campbell who had nothing in common with her, nothing to do with her world.
Focus. I need to do what Holly said, do it well and not let my hormones distract me. That’s all.
“So, you want me to show you Verbier?” She asked brightly.
He looked at her, amused, appraising her as his gaze travelled the length of her body. She felt it on her legs, her neck, her lips, her breasts…Her skin prickled as though it were a physical touch and he were stripping her. There could be no mistake, no other interpretation, no innocent meaning in that look.
It was both an announcement and an invitation.
Boy, he really doesn’t hang about does he?
Maybe she ought to be annoyed, to protest, but what would be the point? It wasn’t like directness offended her; it was her preferred method of communication after all.
He knows I fancy him and he’s playing me. But weirdly, I don’t mind. I don’t mind one little bit.
“I want you to show me everything,” he replied quietly in a low tone that set Tash’s pulse racing.
Chapter 3
“Oh?” The word barely made it out of her mouth, all the air in her lungs had mysteriously vanished. She stared at the dark chest hair visible at the exposed neck of his formal white shirt, her cheeks burning.
“But there’s one thing I need to be upfront about Tash.” Nate’s tone changed from flirtatious to serious.
“What’s that?” She continued to clutch her arms across her body, as though that might protect her from the force of nature that was Nate Campbell.
“My work is everything to me,” he said. “Fun always has to come second. And I don’t do complicated, I haven’t time for complicated.”
Huh?
A stirring of indignation at his presumption rose above the haze of sexual desire.
“Aren’t you making a bit of an assumption here?” She narrowed her eyes into a fierce expression that usually cowed lesser mortals. “We’ve just met and I thought we were talking about me showing you around Verbier?”
He laughed then, eyes sparking with good humour. “And I thought you didn’t do all that small talk bullshit? I like you and you like me. We both know it so what’s the point in pretending otherwise? Scientists have proven we know if we’re attracted to someone within ninety seconds to four minutes of meeting them. Fact. Why waste time sending oblique signals? We can have fun if you like, or not. It’s up to you.”
He shrugged as though he could take her or leave her, it was all the same to him and Tash’s hands itched to slap him. And then rip his clothes off.
“Actually, you know, you were right.” Tash smiled as sweetly as she could manage and backed towards to the door.
“Oh?” Nate unbuttoned his shirt, his smile sexy and confident
Tash swallowed hard at the bare chest he revealed, at the hair snaking down from taut, toned muscles into the waistband of his tailored suit trousers. Was he actually planning to strip in front of her? Ask her to do it here and now while the others were just in the next room? It was tempting to wait and see just how much he was going to strip off.
Maybe this was a test or some kind of stupid joke? Perhaps he was hoping to shock her.
As if.
Shock tactics were Tash’s usual move. She couldn’t help but admire him for stealing her moves.
And hate him.
God, I’m in trouble.
“I think small talk is sometimes necessary. Not bothering with it can be…rude.” Tash said, wrenching her eyes away from Nate’s naked torso.
He heaved a pretend sigh and sank down onto the bed. “Okay, like I said, I can do small talk when necessary. Later maybe. In the meantime could you see if you can get my luggage sent to my room? My PA knows which bags I need. Thanks.”
Dismissed.
How had he turned her excellent put-down into a command for her to obey him in under a minute?
It was almost impressive.
Tash turned and did something totally alien to her nature - she fled, not bothering to stay to try and have the last word. Nate’s low chuckle tickled her spine and turned her legs to jelly.
Shit, that man is dangerous. I shouldn’t even be thinking about playing his games. It’s crazy. I need to remember it’s just hormones. If I can’t control them then I’m as shallow as Rebecca.
Tash groaned aloud and dashed into the hallway cloakroom, running cold water onto her hands to chill them and then pressing her palms against her hot cheeks. It was tempting to respond to Nate’s advances, however dangerous. And despite what she’d said, she liked that he hadn’t wasted any time. After all the ‘he likes me, he likes me not’ type of crap men usually put you through, his take was r
efreshing.
But it was still too risky. Scott and Holly had given her a permanent base. She didn’t quite dare call Chalet Repos a home but it was all she had. She couldn’t compromise it for a meaningless fling with a man who stripped you naked with his eyes and then mentally got to the part where he casually dumped you, all in the space of a few minutes.
Maybe having sex with Nate could be viewed as helpful by Scott and Holly because I’ll be keeping him happy?
But, much as Tash wasn’t precious about sex, it was just a mutually enjoyable pastime after all, that idea still felt a little…demeaning. Like maybe he’d presumed she was provided for his entertainment.
You feel cheap. Maybe you look cheap too.
Tash felt jumpy as she went to relay Nate’s instructions about his luggage to Holly. She wasn’t entirely sure which of the group was Nate’s PA even, it might be one of the men after all, not necessarily the woman. Once she’d passed the message on, she made her way to the kitchen.
“Wow, hot or what?” Amelia leant against the kitchen counter, eyes gleaming.
“Who?” Tash asked casually.
“Nathaniel Campbell of course.” Amelia stared at her, incredulous.
Great, so the Nate Effect had infected all the females at Chalet Repos. The impulse to resist the mass hysteria competed with a hot rush of jealousy. Nate already felt like hers.
Except of course he wasn’t, and never would be, even if she got into his bed.
“You’ve got a fiancé. He’s called Matt, remember?” Tash replied sharply. How many times would she have to remind Amelia of that fact over the next month?
Amelia rolled her eyes.
“He’s even sexier in real life than he is on TV.” Rebecca leant back against the kitchen counter next to Amelia, sighing, her eyes dreamy.
“Is anyone going to help me with the baking for later? The world hasn’t ground to a halt and I assume we still need cakes for tea.” Tash’s jaw clenched. She’d be grinding her teeth at night again if she wasn’t careful. The constant low level irritation seemed ever present nowadays, anger simmering dangerously close to the edge. Holding herself back from the tipping point was a constant effort and she was getting tired of it.
Lucy appeared to be relatively unaffected at least. She had already pulled the flour and sugar containers out from the cupboards.
“What did you think of him then Lucy?” Tash asked, getting out the mixing bowl, needing a dose of Lucy’s no-nonsense take on life to counter the collective star-struck swooning going on.
“He’s very handsome and he’s certainly got the charm.” Lucy shrugged. “But he’s hardly partner material, is he? All men like that are obsessed with one thing.”
“Sex, you mean?” Tash asked.
“No,” Lucy replied. “Their work. They’ll never put you first, if they even remember you exist once they’ve shagged you that is.”
“Sounds like you’re talking from experience?” Tash raised an eyebrow, Lucy generally kept her emotions to herself and she’d not hooked up with anyone all season. It seemed crazy to Tash to wait forever for someone special to come along who might never turn up. All men seemed pretty much the same anyway when you got down to it.
At least they had done until today.
“Yeah.” Lucy smiled sheepishly. “Been there, done that and got the sodding T-shirt. Workaholics can only really focus on one thing at a time and that kind of drive makes them successful but it also makes them lousy partners.”
It confirmed what Tash thought deep down. Hell, Nate had even said as much. He’d made it clear up front. So why did she feel so disappointed?
She caught Rebecca’s curious gaze. Had Rebecca guessed that the Nate Effect had claimed another victim?
Great.
Now Tash was going to have to pretend she didn’t like Nate to save face. If she could be bothered that was. She sighed. What would Rebecca and Amelia think if they knew what had just happened in Nate’s room? What had just happened anyway? It could’ve been a game or harmless flirting.
Tash pursed her lips.
“Shall we make your yummy lemon drizzle cake Tash?” Lucy asked. “That’s always a great hit.”
Tash nodded. “And shortbread as well I think, it’s nice and quick and we can head for the ski lifts before the queues get too bad.”
“You’ll have to make the most of any free time today,” Rebecca said excitedly. “You and I are taking the group to the Snowpark tomorrow. Scott says we need to cram everything in around their schedule. We’re also going with them to the W tomorrow evening for drinks.”
Tash grimaced, even though normally the idea of an evening of free drinks at the W would have her punching the air. Having to spend so much time in Nate’s company was going to make it seriously difficult to resist him. A new worry had been nagging at her. Had he been so upfront with her because he’d heard she had a ‘reputation’? She’d read in a magazine that successful men had higher testosterone levels and were highly sexed. Perhaps Nate needed regular sex and thought she’d be an easy source.
So what if she’d slept around a bit? She was evolved enough to have discarded any sexual hang ups long ago. If less enlightened people chose to call her names because of it she really didn’t give a toss.
Really.
Tash ignored the uncomfortable twist in her stomach and lifted the scales down from the shelf. She was good at ignoring things. It was something else she’d had lots of practice at.
“Why don’t you come and sit next to me?” Holly asked, sitting by the fire later that evening. “Nate has been asking about Verbier’s attractions.”
“I was just going to help with the coffee.” Tash hovered in the doorway.
“I’m sure it doesn’t need three of you.” Holly raised her eyebrows a fraction.
Too polite to remind everyone it’s not actually my turn to make coffee tonight.
Tash walked towards the sofa slowly, scanning to see where to sit that wasn’t too close to Nate. She slid in on the other side of Holly rather than next to Nate on the sofa opposite.
“Where is everyone?” She asked.
“Greg and Rob have gone out for a drink,” Scott replied.
“And Madeleine’s having an early night,” said Nate. “So how long have you been in Verbier, Natasha?”
Tash hesitated, certain he was mocking her by using her full name. Yet she felt very aware of Scott and Holly next to her, willing her not to react. They couldn’t understand just how much she hated the name Natasha. Or why.
Play nice. Show them you can be professional.
“About three and half years now.” She crossed her arms over her chest, aware it made her look defensive but unable to stop.
“So she knows the place pretty well,” Scott added.
Tash felt like she was being sold. Why? Did Nate need convincing she was up to showing him around?
Maybe he is having second thoughts about me.
Why did that thought make her feel so bad? Hadn’t she decided sleeping with him would be trouble?
“She’s also au fait with the experience days we’ve been introducing this season and has accompanied clients on the trips.” Holly added.
“Yes, they sound great, although I am going to have to get my head down to work a lot this month.”
“That’s no problem,” Scott replied. “We can be flexible around your schedule as we discussed and we can take you up to look at those plots of land whenever you like.”
Nate nodded but turned to look back at Tash. “So, what did you do before you came to Verbier, Natasha?”
Her jaw tensed. “I was travelling in Europe, doing seasonal work here and there. I came here because I fancied skiing and it was the only way I could ever be able to afford it.”
“But you stayed?” He asked. “Why?”
“Because I love the skiing, the scenery, the fresh air. And the après ski isn’t too bad either.” She quirked a smile. Maybe this was more about finding out about the resort
than grilling her.
“But where did you grow up?” he asked.
Or maybe not…
“England.”
“Yes,” Nate persisted. “I can tell, but whereabouts?”
Tash’s skin pickled. “All over, I doubt very much I’ve lived anywhere you might be familiar with.”
“Have any of your team been to the Swiss Alps before Nate?” Holly interrupted politely.
She knows I don’t talk about my past.
Thankfully Rebecca and Lucy brought the coffee in at that point. Tash didn’t even care when Rebecca sat down next to Nate.
Let them talk about all the lovely places and people they have in common.
Tash tuned out, her jaw clenching tightly.
Why do I care what he thinks about me? Why?
She must’ve turned soft, staying in one place, making friends, trusting people…Why had she ever truly believed she could pull this off – this normal kind of life?
Hadn’t she learnt by now that just when you got comfortable, something or someone came to yank the rug out from beneath your feet? Unless you kept moving and maintained your distance from people. Then no one got the opportunity to do that to you.
That’s the theory anyway.
Although every fibre of her being screamed to let Nate do whatever he wanted to her, a niggling fear had triggered her fight or flight instinct. It would be impossible to keep Nate at a distance.
Too many questions, plus the kind of arrogance that always expects answers equals trouble.
“Okay Tash?” Holly whispered, linking an arm through the crook of Tash’s elbow and leaning towards her.
“Yes, of course.” Tash forced smile to her face, hating the anxiety in Holly’s expression.
I wish she didn’t worry about me so much.
But was that true, really? After all it wasn’t that great when no one worried about you. A twinge of guilt reminded her why it really bothered her. She didn’t want to cause Holly any extra stress, especially not now she was pregnant.
Rebellion of a Chalet Girl: (A Novella) (Ski Season, Book 5) Page 3
