“Where did you learn to ski?” he asked accusingly. “I still don’t know a damn thing about you. Clearly you come from money the way you’re right at home here.”
“I learned to ski on the Swiss Alps while away at boarding school. My parents were miserly old monsters who didn’t want me.”
“Oh,” Nolan said as the elevator doors popped open. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m kidding,” she laughed. “I went to a winter camp a couple years in a row growing up. I’m a quick learner, and I loved it. But I haven’t been skiing in a while. You do know this is a ski lodge right? There will be next to nothing to do if we don’t ski.”
“For the average person maybe,” Nolan shrugged coolly. “But do you know who else doesn’t ski? James and Libby West. That means he had plenty planned for them to do, and we get to take full advantage of it now.”
Chapter Four
“Never mind,” Nolan said as he stood in the doorway of the suite. “Forget what I said about taking full advantage of everything James had planned.”
“It looks like a very classy porn is about to be shot in here,” Holly said, folding her arms over herself awkwardly.
The blackout curtains were pulled completely shut, the only light in the room coming from the hundred or so flickering candles. Something that was surely against the fire code for a hotel like this, but Nolan assumed money could make those pesky rules go away. A path of rose petals was framed by candles on either side that led to a plush massage table. Near it was a desk full of sensual message lotions, melted wax, and hot stones. The music playing was soft and sexy and seemed to be coming from all directions in the room.
The tub was in the corner of the room on a platform. Steam was billowing up from the cloud of bubbles as though it had just been filled moments before they entered the room. Champagne chilled in a bucket on the table with a tray of exotic fruits laid out around a bowl of dark chocolate, melted by a small tea light below it.
A few logs in the roaring fireplace settled, crackling and sparking. The mantel was adorned with multiple bouquets of red roses. No expense had been spared, no corner of the room had been left untouched by romance.
“So skiing?” Nolan asked, not able to lock eyes with Holly as he dropped his bag down on the bed.
“Are you kidding me?” Holly asked, walking through the room like it was heaven on earth. “I am getting in that bath. Then I’m having a massage. I’m going to devour that fruit. Do you know how expensive that particular bottle of champagne is? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m not wasting it.”
“Where am I supposed to be while you’re in the tub? It’s right there.” He gestured toward the corner of the room where steam still billowed up from the bubbles. He knew where he wanted to be while Holly was soaking deep in the water. Right next to her.
“Oh,” she said as though she’d just remembered the logistics of it all. “Okay, forget the bath. I brought a swim suit; I’ll just do the hot tub. And the champagne,” she said as she swiped it out of the ice bucket. “Oh my gosh, they have their names engraved on the bucket. It actually says James and Libby West. How rich is this guy?”
“Apparently very.” Nolan grimaced. “The sheets have their initials embroidered on them. This is crazy. We don’t belong in this room.”
“Is it because of your inferiority complex about your socioeconomic standing or the fact that this is basically a sex den set up for your sister and her husband?” Holly had a wry challenging smirk as she popped the cork on the bottle.
“Both?” Nolan was completely unsure what part of this room was bothering him more.
“I can understand how you’re feeling,” Holly said seriously, filling her champagne flute and dipping a strawberry in the chocolate. “Maybe you can go back to the front desk and ask Toby for that second room. I’d be happy to struggle through staying in this one.”
“Struggle?” Nolan laughed. “Somehow I think you’d manage.”
“Or,” she said, nibbling seductively on the strawberry, “we could both find a way to make this terrible room bearable.” Before he could answer Holly was bending down, her luscious curves aimed directly at him. “Shrimp. The fridge is loaded with shrimp and lobster claws. You said you were hungry, right?”
He was starving, in more ways than one. Nolan had been so caught up in being angry at the world, he’d forgotten what it was like to bask in the glow of a gorgeous woman. A woman like Holly who buzzed with energy and excitement. “I’m hungry,” he said, his voice laced with lust he tried to rein in. But it was too late. The shocked expression she shot back made it clear she’d interpreted his meaning.
“Um,” she said, swallowing hard and biting at her lip. “Did you bring a bathing suit for the hot tub?”
He shook his head no, moving in closer to her but sidestepping suddenly to grab a piece of fruit. Nolan could see she was holding her breath, anticipating his next move.
“You sure you want to stay in this room?” he asked, as though he were now giving her one more chance to separate herself from this adventure.
“Mhm,” she hummed, nodding her reply. “And you do too?”
“Yes,” he smiled, pulling the bottle of champagne from her hand and filling his own glass. “What the hell, we only live once right?”
“Right,” she agreed, her shoulders finally relaxing some as he clinked his flute against hers. Nolan wouldn’t close in on her right now even though he was sure he could. He was positive her body would respond to his touch, and they could spend the next few hours before the party in a haze of pleasure and indulgence. But Holly had still revealed so little about herself and he knew the liability that posed for the evening. He needed to know who she was, why she’d gotten in the car with him, and what her angle was. Then, he’d have every inch of her.
Chapter Five
“Darn,” Holly murmured as she hung up the phone in the room.
“What could possibly be wrong?” Nolan asked as he dipped the plump lobster meat in the melted butter.
“Because of the storm the spa is understaffed and they don’t have anyone to come do an in-room massage. What a waste of all this ambiance and product. She lifted a few of the bottles and opened their tops, breathing in their earthy aromas.
The drinking, eating, and relaxing had created a comfortable quiet in the room that Holly was basking in. She rarely got to experience any type of indulgence or serenity these days. But that was not the only thing in the room growing.
It could perhaps be blamed on the ambiance, the flickering candlelight, or crackling fire, but either way it couldn’t be ignored. Whatever spell these artfully selected decorations were meant to cast, it was working. Holly could feel herself drawn to Nolan in a primal way.
As he leaned back, stretching and grunting, her eyes fixed on his biceps that bulged out from his T-shirt.
“Why aren’t you sitting down?” Nolan asked, eyeing her curiously. “You’ve been pacing for the last fifteen minutes. Should we get in the hot tub?”
She rounded the couch and flopped down next to him. “Tell me something real about yourself,” she insisted, raking her eyes over his surprised face.
“Why? You haven’t told me anything about you.”
“I will,” she said, “but you go first.” She wasn’t sure why this felt so urgent. Maybe she needed to hear his flaws or his arrogance so she could tamp down these feelings of desire. Surely he’d say something stupid enough to turn her off. Men could always be counted on for that.
“Fine,” he said, tossing his hands up. “This Christmas I was completely alone. I spent the entire twenty-four hours without seeing another living soul. I don’t know now if it’s the way I wanted it or if that’s just how it happened. Is that real enough for you?”
“And you were supposed to see your sister tomorrow for New Year’s Day? That fell through. That must have been hard.”
“Then you walked in,” he grinned, eyeing her intensely. “And a very boring evening of ringing
in the new year is turning into . . .” His words trailed off as he leaned in. It was up to Holly now to pull away. She’d have to be the one to tell him the kiss wasn’t what she wanted. But that lie felt too hard to speak as he moved in closer.
Laced with champagne and chocolate, their lips collided with hungry passion. She’d been living outside of herself, in such a fake existence for so long, she’d nearly forgotten what it felt like to truly want someone so desperately.
Nolan pulled her onto his lap, never breaking the kiss. Holly worried her thudding heart could be heard over the quiet music still echoing through the room. Her desire for him was almost unbearable as she clutched at his shirt, ran a hand up his back, and finally to his hair.
“Wait,” he breathed out, pulling back suddenly. “You were supposed to tell me something real. That was the deal.”
“Now?” she asked incredulously, their lips just centimeters from each other. “You can’t think of anything better we could do?”
“I can think of a thousand things I’d like to do with you right now,” he said, leaning in and nipping at her neck. His lips were smeared with her gloss and his eyes were burning with a lusty flame. “But a deal is a deal. Tell me something, Holly.” One hand was brushing her hair back while the other held her tight on top of him. “Why is it so hard for you to answer my questions?”
“Because for some reason, unlike how I feel about most people, I don’t want to lie to you.”
“So don’t,” he urged, leaning in for another kiss, this one abbreviated and just a tease.
“My family was very wealthy,” she started, dropping her head down to Nolan’s shoulder mostly to avoid having to look him in the face as she admitted part of her past. “They imported furniture from Europe and sold it locally. But someone duped my father and tricked him into making a bad investment. Some kind of Ponzi scheme and it ruined him. It ruined all of us.”
“Wealth isn’t everything,” Nolan reminded her, his soft lips breaking into an empathetic smile. “I’m poor.”
“And miserable,” she countered.
“Not at the moment. Right at this moment I am far from miserable.” He laced his fingers to hers and leaned in again. She could feel his hard excitement as she shifted her weight, and her hunger for him built again.
“Take me, Nolan,” she whispered, her hand caught up in his hair, pulling him forcefully back into the kiss. “Forget everything else. Just right now, right now this is all that matters.”
He lifted her up behind the knees and stood effortlessly. His kisses moved down her neck as he made his way for the bed. “I’m not sure I want to have you in a bed branded with my brother-in-law’s name.”
Nolan looked around for a better solution. “How private do you think that deck is?”
“I think the better question is how shy are you?” She could feel her body tingling with desire, the anticipation of his hands on her.
“It’s cold,” he reminded her. “It’s freezing out.”
“I’m game,” she said, cocking an eyebrow up at him. “The hot tub will warm us up.”
He moved toward the sliding door of the deck and opened it. A cold blast of air sent her body into a shiver, making their grip on each other more frantic. Painfully tight. Powerful. There was a dusting of wind-blown snow on the deck.
“Ever have sex in a hot tub?” Nolan asked, lowering Holly to her feet as they began frantically pulling at their clothes, fighting off shivers.
They both climbed the steps and sank into the invigorating heated water. At first the warmth against their cold skin stung like needles but it soon melted into an overwhelming complete comfort.
Holly pressed her back against a pulsing jet, the vibration pulsing through her whole body.
“You’re too far away,” Nolan growled, easily scooping her up and pulling her close. This wasn’t something she’d done before, but tonight the light flakes of snow landing in their hair as they gazed into each other’s eyes made her feel like trying something new. Nolan was the kind of man you could hand yourself over to; hot tub, back seat of the car, or a rooftop, it wouldn’t matter, he’d make sure you got exactly what you needed. Holly could tell that about him.
“I never answered the question before,” she said, a little bashful as the bubbling water swirled around her naked body. “I’ve never had sex in a hot tub before.”
“I’m almost afraid to show you how good it can be. You’ll be ruined for having it anywhere else. There’s just something about the heat, the jets, and being outside that makes it so damn good. I dated a girl who had one. It was a fun summer.”
“You’ll have to show me,” she purred, letting him guide her body. Nolan pulled her arms around his neck and her legs over him. Straddling there above him she had the benefit of perspective. She was able to hold on tight and also look out over the amazing scenery around them.
His mouth devoured her breasts, biting and licking, alternating in a way that had her back arching away then pressing forward, begging for more. When he slid inside her, his firmness filled her so deeply she gasped, clinging instantly to his shoulders.
“Did I hurt you?” Nolan asked, looking concerned. “Do you want to stop?”
“Don’t you dare,” she said through broken breath as she began riding him, slowly at first then faster, the water making her feel nearly weightless as she moved. Their eyes locked on each other, his face overtaken by the pleasure surging through him.
Nolan’s hand clamped down on her hips and moved her at the perfect rhythm as she rocked back and forth, her own burst of pleasure within reach.
Before she could fully climax he laughed, and whispered, “Not yet.” In one fluid move he lifted her off him and turned her quickly away. Her back to him, bent over the side of the tub, he introduced her to the magic that was the powerful jet stream.
Aligning her perfectly, her pleasure spot bursting to life, he slid inside her again. This time the gasp was punctuated by a scream of his name. “Nolan, yes! Don’t stop.”
Whatever pleasure she thought she was about to feel in their last position was a far-off memory compared to the complete overload pummeling her body.
Her chest was above the water, frigid air making her skin tingle and her peaks tightened as Nolan pinched with impeccable pressure. “Harder,” she begged, arching her body to give him every bit of herself she could.
“Holly,” he breathed her name through her hair, his lips perched over her ear, and she knew he was about to explode just as she was. The jet pulsed, he drove harder within her, and his tantalizing squeezes sent shock waves through her until finally everything burst to life. The snow covered pines, the peaks of the mountains, the sun fading lower in the sky, she was one with it all. She was as big as each of them, and just for a moment as powerful and important. Because from this man she could elicit the most primal pleasure and most intimate connection.
They collapsed on top of each other, nearly going under, before Nolan gathered himself and kept her afloat.
“You were right,” she breathed against his lips as she kissed him softly. “That was amazing. You know your stuff.”
“No,” he said, shaking his head and looking shocked by her. “It’s never been like that before. No one has ever been anything like you.”
She laid her head against his chest, the water lapping at her chin as she listened to his heart thundering. The flakes of snow grew larger, landing on her lashes and then melting away.
“You make me believe that Nolan. You have a look about you, that you couldn’t lie about something like that even if you wanted to.”
“Believe it, Holly. Believe every other person is just a way to stay busy until a man like me has the good fortune of meeting you. Believe it because it’s true. Not just here in the hot tub either. Life is this thing we do; you make me feel like it’s something I can’t wait to keep doing.”
Chapter Six
The lavish cotton robes were like wrapping up in a cloud. Nolan put a few more logs
on the fire and held Holly tight in his arms as they sat on the plush carpet warming their spent bodies.
“We have to start getting ready for the party,” Holly whispered, her body tucked perfectly against his. The reluctance in her voice assured him that she felt the same desire to stay put. She was quickly becoming the small light breaking through the clouds that had been chasing him around.
He pushed her hair off her neck and kissed the silky skin again. “Maybe we should just stay here,” Nolan suggested, moving a hand down her body and parting her legs again.
“You promised your sister,” she reminded him, though her head kicked back and her legs didn’t fight against his motion to part them.
“She promised she’d see me tomorrow. Things don’t always work out the way we think. I’d much rather spend the night right here. Finding a hundred new ways to make you shake and scream my name again.”
Holly moaned but he could feel her fighting the urge to turn and straddle him. “You have control you know,” she said, trying to keep her voice level and unaffected by the heat rising through her body.
“Perfect,” he hissed in her ear. “I like being in control.”
“That’s not what I mean,” she purred. “When this is all over you can get in your car and drive to Texas. Maybe it’s time for you to meet your sister where she is. Maybe it’s time you walk into the life she’s living rather than waiting for her to come to you. Put on a Santa hat, load the car with wrapped presents, and go redo Christmas the way it should have been. You have control.”
“And would you get in the car for that road trip too?” he asked in a whisper, his lips still pressed to her ear.
“You wouldn’t want that,” she answered in a breathy nervous laugh. “You’re getting the wrong impression of me. I’m the kind of girl you run away with for the weekend. Nothing more.”
“So no?” he asked, leaning forward to look at her expression. “If I asked you to get in the car tomorrow and drive to Texas with me you’d say no?”