“No.” He chuckled. “Eat your sandwich, take a shower, and I promise you will feel much better.”
I looked at him for a moment and shrugged my shoulders, figuring I wasn’t getting out of it, and in reality, I didn’t want to. I ate my bagel and then moved into the shower, smiling at him awkwardly as I closed the door. It felt strange to be naked with just a door between the two of us. I had every plan in the world to sleep with him, but not yet. I showered quickly and dried my hair, so it wouldn’t turn into ice when I went outside. I pulled on my snow pants, a thermal, a sweater, and the thinner, down coat that I had bought. I could move, I didn’t look like a stuffed sausage, and I was excited to get going. I pulled on my ski cap and twisted a scarf around my neck, nodding happily at my reflection.
“Okay,” I said, stepping out. “I’m ready.”
“That is much better than your multilayer, ready for Alaskan ice fishing look,” he joked, grabbing his jacket.
Our day out on the slopes was more amazing than I thought it would be. We started out on the bunny slopes, just working on techniques, talking about what to expect at the next level up, and having him show me some hip movements that would increase my control and movements. I had to admit, feeling him behind me, his hands grasping my hips and moving them where he wanted them, was slightly distracting, and I wasn’t the least bit cold at that point. I could have stayed skiing like that for the rest of the day and never had an issue with it.
After about the sixth run on the bunny slopes, we decided to move up a level and try out the intermediate slopes. I had to admit, they were a bit more daunting than I thought, and I swallowed hard, standing at the top of the slope, not sure I was ready to go plummeting down yet. Cameron walked up beside me and smiled, reaching out and running his finger across my red cheeks.
“You’ve got this,” he said. “And I’ll be right behind you. Remember, if you feel like you are out of control, just sit down. That is the quickest way to stop. I’ll make sure you have no one but me behind you.”
I nodded my head, instantly feeling more confident. It was strange how he was able to push me up, when all I had been used to for the last three years was being pushed down. I had a warm sensation in my chest, and I used that to find my brave. I pushed off and leaned forward, tucking my arms to my side and moving my hips just how he taught me. I was actually doing it, and I had to say I loved every second of it. The cold wind whipped across my skin, and for the first time in a long time, I felt completely alive. However, as I began to approach the bottom, my nerves shot up, and I realized that I had no idea how to stop. I put my poles down and dragged them through the snow, attempting to slow myself down. It was working well, but my knees were getting wobbly, and as I slowly came to a stop at the bottom, I lost my balance and fell straight down on my butt, laughing hard as Cameron slid gracefully down beside me.
“Not the most graceful end.” He laughed. “Nonetheless, you made it down and with amazing form.”
“Well, thank you,” I said, reaching out for his shoulder.
After that, we turned our skis in to the concierge and headed over to the lounge for some hot chocolate and warmth. My cheeks were red, and my hair was windblown, but I felt absolutely amazing. I held the hot cocoa tightly in my hands and sipped at it, the warmth stinging the skin on my hands. Cameron met me at the table and set some warm croissants down in front of us. I picked one up, pulling apart the freshly baked bread and shoving it in my mouth. I was hungrier than I thought.
“So, I was wondering,” he said. “How long are you going to be here?”
“Hailey and I decided to stay through New Year’s,” I said, smiling. “Luckily, the room was available for extension of stay.”
“That is really awesome,” he replied. “So, I was wondering, would you consider being my date for New Year’s? The resort holds this amazing party, and I figured we could get all dolled up in our best black-tie attire and make everyone jealous.”
I smiled and looked over at him, knowing that it sounded like the perfect way to bring in the New Year. I nodded my head, with my cheeks glowing red, and took a sip of my hot cocoa. I had never been to a party like that for New Year’s before, nor had I ever had anyone to ring the New Year’s in with. Grant was always out of town on New Year’s, and I didn’t feel right going out without him, even though it never stopped him from going out without me. This year, though, it looked like I was not only getting to attend an extremely glamorous party, but I was going to be on the arm of one of the handsomest men in the building. I was already excited about it.
“I’ll get the tickets for us today,” he said, smiling. “I’ll get a third ticket for Hailey.”
“She will be very excited,” I said.
“And you?”
“Let’s just say, I’m already wishing that New Year’s Eve was here,” I replied with blushed cheeks.
The rest of the day was spent eating lunch at the restaurant and going back out on the slopes. I had gotten the skiing bug, and now, I regretted not being out there more. I still had a few days left, and now that I felt comfortable, I could go hit the slopes while Cameron was teaching a class, not worried that I was going to eat shit or break an arm. This vacation had turned into something that I hadn’t expected, and I was loving every second of it. Though my time was drawing to a close, I still had New Year’s Eve, and I was going to bring in the New Year with love, lust, and probably a whole lot of alcohol. I felt like a brand-new woman, ready to face my life with optimism and without fear. Now, all I had to do was finish what I had promised Hailey, and that was to sleep with Cameron, enjoy the experience, but not prolong the inevitable. Hopefully, sex with him was going to be the best part of my vacation, and then I would be gone.
Chapter 17
New Year’s Eve
Cameron
I stood in my room
, straightening my bow tie and smoothing my hair back with gel. I smiled at the chic look I was putting on, knowing that I hadn’t gotten dressed up like that since my sister’s wedding forever ago. Even then, I wore tennis shoes, but tonight, I was pulling out all the stops, wanting to wow Bea right off the charts. I had been watching her for several days, zooming down the intermediate slopes, having a blast while I waved from my training spot. Glen was still not back, but I was more than happy to teach the classes on my own, especially since every afternoon, on my break, Bea would meet me for lunch. It had become such a normal and comfortable thing, and I was nervous about how it was going to feel when she left. Aspen had become the glamorous and exciting place that it was for me because of Bea, not that I had long left here, either.
I walked into the living room of my suite and grabbed my tux jacket, pulling it over my shoulders and pulling my cuffs out at the sleeves. I buttoned the front buttons and put my hand in my pants pocket, turning toward the mirrored wall and looking at myself. I looked like James Bond, only without the super gadgets that his tux would normally come with. I looked down at my watch and jumped slightly, realizing I was going to be late if I didn’t hurry up. I grabbed my keys and winter pea coat and headed out the door. When the elevator doors opened, there was Brian, looking dapper as ever in his tux, and nodding at me as I climbed in.
“Picking up Hailey?”
“Yep,” he said. “Picking up Bea?”
“Sure am.” I laughed.
“This is going to be epic,” he said with a straight face.