Chapter Eight
Brody
I woke up on the bed, not remembering how I got there. As I glanced around the cabin, I caught Ulrik’s gaze before he turned away and pretended he hadn’t been watching me.
“Good morning,” I said with a rasp as I stretched out. “Thank you for carrying me to the bed. You know you could have left me on the couch.”
He gave me a quick nod. “Merry Christmas. I thought it was best for you not to be cramped after your fall yesterday. How are you feeling?”
I sat up and rocked my head from side to side before rolling my shoulders. “Okay, I think. Still a bit sore, but nothing serious.” Plus, kind of nasty feeling from not having a shower the night before. “And Merry Christmas to you.”
I didn’t know what to think of Ulrik. He took care of me in a standoffish way, like he was afraid to get too close.
The night before, he’d been so quick picking up dinner in town, and then, when I’d fallen asleep, he’d carried me to the bed and tucked me in.
Probably a good thing with the massive erection I woke up with.
Still, he showed no interest in me. Strange, since any other single gay guy I’d encountered in my life would have definitely wanted to fuck if we were stuck in a cabin together for a week.
Did Ulrik remain that heartbroken over his husband?
Or was there some other secret he harbored that kept him from making a move?
I wanted him, and stripping in front of him the other day should have gotten a reaction. Instead, he growled and walked away.
His lack of attention hadn’t stopped my mind from creating fantasies. In the dream I’d had before waking up, I was in a new city in a house I’d never been in. Within the kitchen of the house, Ulrik had me bent over the dining table and fucked me while telling me about the cabinets he’d built there.
I moaned, my cock even harder from remembering the vivid imagining. I didn’t know if it would ever go down enough to use the washroom.
“Why don’t we change our plans for the day?”
With my mind still partially in the fantasy, I turned to Ulrik. “Huh?”
He came over and sat on the side of the bed, and I scrambled to hide my still-hard shaft.
“If you’re still sore, snowshoeing may not be the best option. I looked up what else this place has to offer, and I thought we could do something different that would help you.”
“What’s that?” The only help I wanted was his to do something about my erection and my hunger for him that refused to dissipate.
“Visit the bathhouse. There’s a cold pool, a regular pool, a sauna, and a hot tub. Might help your aching muscles.”
I plastered on a smile to hide the grimace from my cock getting even harder.
Did he know what happened at some bathhouses?
Was this his way of trying to tell me he wanted me?
Why did we need to go there when we had a perfectly private cabin to fuck in?
Perhaps I was reading more into the gesture than he’d intended.
“Sounds good.” Except I needed my dick to soften so I could get up and go pee.
He patted the bed beside me, making the sheets, and thus my clothing, rub across the tip of my cock. “Get up. We can grab some breakfast at the lodge then relax for a bit before we head to the bathhouse.”
“Okay.” I nodded with a gulp, his demand only making me want him more. I really hoped he was a top.
As he stood, I pulled the blankets off, no longer caring to hide my erection.
He never looked back, heading toward the door. “I’m going to bring some wood in while you get ready.”
“Okay.” I chuckled to myself at being left to deal with my problem on my own as I walked to the bathroom. Fuck, I wanted his wood in the worst way, and I needed to do something about it, or I wouldn’t make it through the day.
***
It was almost noon by the time we arrived, and surprisingly, there were still a variety of breakfast foods available in the lobby of the lodge.
Ulrik had driven, not wanting to make me walk that far, even though I trekked that distance to catch the subway on the days I had to go in to the office for a team meeting.
It was still a nice gesture, considering every muscle in my body ached, either from the collision, or simply from using different muscles while ax throwing and repeatedly climbing up the snow hill.
Perhaps both. I couldn’t wait to get in the hot tub after the frigid plunge.
I’d heard others talk about how the temperature of the cold bath worked to relieve swollen parts of the body, but would I be able to relax in it?
Before heading to the bathhouse, we walked around the lodge for a bit to digest our food. Waiting an hour after eating before going swimming was the one piece of advice from my mother I did cling to.
On the walls were bulletin boards filled with posters from nearby attractions, all hoping to capture the interest of the guests.
Ulrik and I knew about most of the places, having already visited some and eliminated others from our plan of events.
I spotted a new one hanging up over some of the others, the words Sleep Under the Stars in bold letters.
I pulled the paper off the board and showed it to Ulrik. “What do you think of this?”
The poster advertised a glass igloo situated in a clearing in the middle of the woods where the view of the stars was spectacular. And it was available for one night only. Christmas.
He shrugged, not seeming as interested as I was. “I’m sure it has a nice view.”
I chewed on my bottom lip, considering how to ask him for what I wanted. “If I… If it’s still available, I would like to book it for tonight. Would you come with me?”
Rubbing his chin with his thumb and forefinger, he stared at a spot on the floor. Then, with a sigh, he crossed his arms and looked at me. “Yes. You’ll probably need a ride anyway.”
I didn’t want him to think I was only asking him for that, but if that was the reason I needed to get him there, so be it. Thankfully, the igloo was still available for the night, and I made the reservation before we headed to the bathhouse.
With only a pair of bathing shorts on, I stared at the cold bath, a small pool that was kept at 63°F.
Not quite the temperature athletes plunged into after a game.
It was still cool enough. The pool was only a few feet away from the hot tub, but I feared it far more.
With steps down into the cold water, I worried the instant I put my foot in, I would decide not to go any farther.
Ulrik stood beside me looking damn fine in his shorts and showing off his strong arms and wide chest. I wanted to admire him with my hands and tongue, perhaps find a cubby somewhere to fuck.
“Are you ready for this?” He waggled his eyebrows.
Oh, I was ready for a whole lot more than the cold plunge. Perhaps if I impressed him with my bravery, he would reward me in return.
“If you hop in all at once, it’s a lot easier.” He bent down and ran his hand through the water. “Not as bad as I expected. Would you like me to go first?”
I shook my head as a chill traveled down my spine. As much as I did want to see him wet, I expected that sight would lead to the same problem I’d had earlier that morning. Just the thought was making things move.
I jumped in, not wanting to deal with another hard-on I would need to take care of on my own.
The shock was instantaneous. Every part of my body tensed as I stood in the waist-deep water.
My balls and cock took refuge inside my body, and my nipples tightened into sharp peaks.
Not exactly great for relaxation and my mental well-being as the sign above the pool had advertised.
I held in the urge to scream and tried to breathe.
Ulrik hopped in beside me, not at all affected by the temperature. No goose bumps. No shivers. Nothing.
“Have you done this before?” I asked as my teeth chattered.
The corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk, his blue eyes twinkling. “A few times. Though the water was much colder.”
A whole-body shiver went through me. “I don’t know how this doesn’t bother you. I don’t find it relaxing at all.”
He stepped forward and rubbed his hands up and down my arms. “How’s this?”
My insides warmed, but not in the way I thought he’d intended. “Um, better.” I gulped as my cock decided Ulrik’s touch was a stronger force than the cold water. It didn’t help that I imagined turning around in his arms and pressing my ass against his groin.
Fuck, I really didn’t understand the man’s resistance.
He didn’t avoid me as if repulsed by me.
Maybe his husband’s passing led to his complete absence of sexual desire.
Something I more than made up for at that moment.
I dropped under the water to get away from his touch and from him before I did something that would make the rest of our stay together very awkward.
When I resurfaced, I headed for the steps. “Okay, I’m done here. I want to go into the hot tub now.”
We sat at opposite ends, only possible since no one else was in the bathhouse with us.
I leaned back into the molded chair with jets shooting water along my spine.
Much more relaxing than the cold water. I kept my mind focused on the game I would be working on when I returned from my holidays rather than the man sitting across from me.
By the time we left, my muscles did feel better.
I no longer hobbled and felt more confident about my plan for the game once I had some of the assets to start with.
I still didn’t understand what to do about Ulrik.
I hoped an evening in the glass igloo would help me understand where I stood with him and if I would ever know what it felt like to be fucked by him.