Elisa’s morning consisted of “employee only” meetings. I wasn’t too happy about her being forced to spend time with the Botox Brigade without me, but I was able to come to terms with it knowing the diamond on her finger made it clear she was taken. After the night before, I was pretty sure the spineless wimp was duly intimidated.
Before I hit the slopes, I took the time to make arrangements for Sunday. Elisa would be done by two, so I called up the concierge and gave him a list, trusting he would complete the tasks. Next, I placed a phone call to Maddie and one to Elisa’s sister Charlotte, making a special request. Charlotte wasn’t an easy sell, but I convinced her and she agreed with some trepidation.
With those things accomplished, I took off for the black diamond trails. It had been a while since I’d enjoyed the freedom of skiing—breathing the sharp winter air, clearing my mind, and focusing on nothing but the slope in front of me. This time, the calm and peace weren’t so much those things as much as they were thoughts of Elisa. She was my center, she had become my reason for being, and by the time I headed back to meet her, I was anxious as hell to see her.
I lounged at the bar, watching the sports channel while keeping an eye on the elevator. When the doors finally opened and she stepped out, I sped over and lifted her up into a big bear hug, then kissed her soundly. I needed her in my arms, but the pageantry was for any guy who was checking out my girl.
“Hey, baby. How was your morning?” I asked, my face still buried in her neck, breathing in the scent of cherry blossoms.
She giggled and wiggled her feet to be let down. “I missed you,” she said, her tone a little shy. The blush that spread across her cheeks and freckled little nose made my muscles tighten with arousal. She was so fucking sexy, and how she managed to be adorable at the same time was beyond me.
“I missed you, too.” I winked and draped my arm over her shoulders as I led her to another set of elevators. These went straight to the penthouses and I smirked when I saw Ken and Barbie glaring at us, practically green with envy. I enjoyed my wealth, but I didn’t usually throw it in people’s faces. This was one time I went out of my way to show off. Eat your heart out, Bimbo Barbie, Elisa’s got the stud and the dollar signs while you’ve got knockoffs and a limp dick.
“Go change into your winter gear, baby. I’ve got a night of surprises for you,” I told her once we arrived back in our room.
I couldn’t keep my eyes off her delicious body while she stripped, but I gathered my restraint and kept from touching her. After bundling up, I walked with her to the ice rink at the back of the resort. When she realized we were going skating, she squeaked with delight and jumped up and down. So. Fucking. Adorable.
“I used to go ice skating at Rockefeller every Christmas with my family,” Elisa exclaimed happily as she laced up her skates. “Charlotte and I haven’t done it since the year after our parents died. We’ve just been too busy.”
She stood and wobbled a little, holding my forearm to steady herself.
“Ready, baby?” I asked, waiting for her affirmation.
“Yes!” She laughed, her eyes sparkling, her cheeks rosy from the cold. She’d never looked more beautiful.
We stepped gingerly onto the ice—it had been a few years for me, too—and started a slow loop. As we got more comfortable on our blades, we sped up and the wind whipped at our faces, fresh and clean. I loved living in the city, but the fresh mountain air made me appreciate the move I was making upstate.
The sun began to descend as we laughed and played like happy kids. Adding to the magic, a soft snow began to fall and I thanked Mother Nature for being in on my plans. Elisa put her head back, stuck her tongue out, and swirled around. She looked indescribable. So gorgeous, she took my breath away. And she was mine. Mine.
I checked my watch for the tenth time and called out, “Baby! We’ve got reservations, we need to go.”
“Keep your boxers on, Brysen. I’m coming.”
Yelling out “not yet” was just too cliché. That didn’t stop me from thinking it, though.
“Baby, that idiom doesn’t apply to me. You know as well as I do I don’t wear underwear.”
“Great,” I heard her voice behind me and turned in her direction, “we’ll match.”
She stood there, my every fantasy come to life. The black cocktail dress swept across her chest, just above the swell of her breasts, her shoulders were bare, but the sleeves ended at her wrists, where my ring twinkled on her hand. The skirt fell to mid-thigh, showcasing her long, long legs with black strappy stilettos on her feet. Her hair was pinned up, emphasizing her slender neck, just asking to be nibbled and sucked. I was instantly hard. Somehow, I kept my outward composure, but mentally, I was drooling and panting like a dog after a bone.