Jeffrey

IF FALLING DOWN THE mountain with her hadn’t been a sign then I don’t know what was.

But as clear as that had been, this restaurant was another story. I expected the nicest restaurant in a ski town to be crowded on Christmas Eve. What I did not expect was how little privacy the swanky place offered. Tables were so close I could hear every word of every whispered conversation around me, and I was trying not to listen.

I’d made the reservation three months ago when I booked my trip. I’d looked up top rated places and made the arrangements fully expecting to dine alone. I smiled at how wrong I’d been and threw back the last of my bourbon. As I set the glass back, there she was smiling down at me.

“Did you order me one of those,” Serene asked, smiling as she seated herself.

“I’m afraid I didn’t,” I managed to say without stuttering. As beautiful as she’d been on the slopes, I was not prepared for how gorgeous she was now. She wore white sweater that showed off every dip and curve, smoky makeup perfectly framing her gray eyes, and her full, round lips were bare of any product, which of course made me wonder if her nipples were the same pretty shade of pink. She was so breathtaking I had a hard time remembering how to speak. I sat there staring at her, transfixed by her for far too long.

She smiled, shaking her head. “You’re staring at me.”

“It’s hard not to. You’re very beautiful.”

She smiled again. “Thank you.”

“So how was your...” Just then the pianist, who to that point had been playing soft, melodic holiday tunes, broke into a raucous rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas.

“I’m sorry, what?” Serene cupped her ear, leaning forward.

“Sorry,” I said, raising my voice. “I was just asking how your ski day was.”

She nodded and smiled.

“I said skiing, how was your ski day?” I yelled at her.

This wasn’t going how I’d planned. Not even close.

Then, the woman at the table next to us burst into an obnoxious, snorting laugh. Serene did her best to pretend it hadn’t happened and continued scanning the menu. But when the woman threw herself forward, knocking both our tables around, Serene gave me a weighted look. “This is going to sound forward,” she said, leaning in even further. “But would you like to get out of here?”

I nodded, threw some cash on the table, then helped her into her coat and we left the restaurant.

“Did you have someplace in mind?” I asked as we huddled under the awning of the restaurant.

Serene looked around the snowy street. “I’m afraid I don’t,” she said as her gaze wandered from the cloudless night sky to my face. “This might sound odd, and again, forward but would you fancy getting to know each other at my cabin?”

I kept myself from saying anything too lascivious. Instead, I presented a crooked elbow and led her up the shoveled sidewalk to the shuttle stop.

“It’s a beautiful night. Cold,” she said, teeth chattering as she huddled against me, “but beautiful.”

It was beautiful. The snow blanketed the town in an eerie silence, reflecting moonlight and making what should have been a dark night seem more like daybreak. And the stars up here, they were something else. I’d never seen so many stars in my life. “It really is,” I agreed, meeting her gaze again. But as beautiful as Aspen was, Serene took the breath right out of me.

The shuttles ran from town to the chalets every five minutes, so we didn’t lose any appendages to frostbite but Serene still sat shivering next to me on the bus until I pulled her close.

“I’m all for capitalism but cramming so many tables into a restaurant until you can’t move isn’t how I’d run a business,” she said when she’d finally warmed up.

“And how would you?” I asked.

She pulled away, leveling a serious gaze at me. “Do you truly want to know?”

I smiled. Yes. I want to know everything about you. “By all means.”

“If it were up to me, I’d cut the seating by seventy-five percent, raise prices by half and make reservations wait-list only.”

I couldn’t help but grin at her. “Why?” I asked.

“Well, based on decor, waitstaff uniforms, and the few menu items I saw, I’d assume the proprietor aimed for a high-end restaurant. Doable if it weren’t in direct opposition to the cafeteria-style seating arrangement. My way breeds artificial exclusivity which is in essence a supply shortage, and shortage always increases demand. They’d have fewer people on staff, less food cost, a better overall guest experience and double their profits. At minimum.”

She was absolutely right. Absolutely brilliant. “Are you in economics?” I asked.

“Hardly,” she said with mock offense.

“Advertising or marketing?”

“Afraid not.”

“What do you do, Serene?”

“I make people’s wishes come true,” she said.

Okay. She didn’t want to get too personal. That was fine. Not exactly what I had in mind but I was still going with the flow. Whatever happened, happened.

Fortunately, her cabin was only a few feet from a shuttle stop so we didn’t turn into icicles on the trek but I did get to hold her close as we walked.

“Make yourself at home,” she said upon entering her corner suite. I took off my coat and she hit a button on the wall, bringing the fireplace in the living area to life. “I’m just going to make us some tea but feel free to help yourself to anything in the fridge since dinner was a bust.”

“Your suite is incredible,” I said as I laid my coat across the back of the sofa. Holy shit, now I really did want to know what she did to afford a place like this. I wouldn’t press her, though. If she didn’t want to share then I wouldn’t ask.

As she set two mugs on the counter, Serene looked at me with one of her serious looks again and sighed. “Can’t I be frank with you, Jeffrey?”

“Please.”

She stepped toward me, slowly closing the distance between us, a smoldering look in her eyes. “I haven’t had a vacation in years. I had to be coerced into taking this one by two different people. In fact, right up to actually arriving, I was convinced I didn’t want to be here. But now, I don’t quite know how to say this, but being here with you and all the snow and cold and the thinner air, I just feel a bit more free.”  She hooked her arms around my neck and kissed me.

I was so shocked I pulled away.

“I’m so sorry,” she said as a brutal flush rose in her cheeks. “I thought you, well, I just assumed...” She stepped away but I caught her by the waist and pulled her into me.

“You surprised me,” I said. “That’s all.” I looked deep into her eyes and kissed her, hard and heavy, tangling a hand in her hair as I tightened my grip on her waist.

She melted against me, curving her body around mine, hitching her leg around my hip as we explored each other’s mouths. She tasted salty and sweet, and holy fuck she smelled like jasmine and orchids. I lost myself in her, sliding my hands down her body as she cooed and purred and rubbed herself against me. She tugged at my shirt and I pulled it off.

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” she said as she stepped back to look at me, running her hands down my chest and abs. “How are you so perfect?” She ripped off her own sweater and crashed into me, kissing down my neck and grabbing my ass.

It had been a long time since I’d felt this. So long that I let it go on for longer than I should. Longer than I ever had before having “the talk”.

If she’s into great. If not, oh well. Whatever happens, happens.

I grabbed her arms and pressed them against her sides slowly until she couldn’t move anymore. I stepped back and looked into her dilated eyes. “I’m into kink.” I said simply.

Her eyes flashed bright with hunger. “What kind of kink, Jeffrey?

“The tying you to the bedposts and having my way with you kind.”

She shivered, a delicious little shudder that told me everything I needed to know. She liked the idea.

“Pain?” she asked.

“Only if you ask very nicely,” I said.