Chapter 18 #2
Jamie’s eyebrows arched. ‘Aye, of course. I don’t have his posters on my wall, but I know who he is. You dated him?’
‘Yes, for a short time and, because he’s so astronomically famous, it brought me back into the spotlight and got me a few movie roles too.
I wasn’t bothered about the fame, but Chad wanted me to be in his movies, and what Chad wants, Chad gets.
After that, I got offered some movies of my own, and a perfume ad.
My modelling star rose again. But for reasons I won’t go into, it all went a bit sour and when I came here, I wanted to get away from that world. ’
‘Is that why you were wearing a wig and sunglasses at check-in?’
‘Yes. I stopped wearing them when your reaction to me made me think I could go un-noticed. I was wrong, though, as Dean and Diana recognised me.’
‘Ah. So, you and Chad – sorry to ask – but are you still together? Is that why Dean called you a wild one? Chad’s a bit of a party animal, isn’t he?
It was good that Jamie was asking these questions as it forced Alicia to address things and get them out of the way.
She could, of course, use it as an opening to tell him about the photos and video, but she couldn’t go there yet.
No way – it would be too much to watch him take in.
His reaction had been so perfect that she couldn’t risk ruining things.
‘No, we broke up recently. I think Dean was referring to our kiss. Yours and mine. Or one of my movies. A lot of people can’t separate movies from reality.’
Jamie pulled up his sleeves a little more, as if about to say something important, giving a glimpse of those shirt busting triceps. He must have noticed something in Alicia’s expression.
‘Hot,’ he said by way of explanation.
‘You are.’
Jamie burst out laughing, the tension in the room split open now.
‘Look, thanks for telling me,’ he said. ‘I appreciate you probably enjoy folk not knowing. I can understand wanting a drama-free life. The closest I get to understanding the fame thing is if I go into the local chemist to buy a pack of condoms and it’s all round the village in an hour.’
Alicia giggled. ‘You should buy your condoms online.’
‘I know. I’ll have to learn to work the internet first.’ He sighed and she wondered if he could hear her heart ka-thumping in her ribcage. It could power the hotel’s generator.
‘So, what’s important to me is a couple of things,’ Jamie said.
Uh oh. Here come the things.
‘One. You’re single?’
‘Yes, of course I am.’
‘And two, you’re here with me.’ Jamie’s voice was rich with mellifluous promise.
‘Also true.’ Alicia couldn’t stop her face opening into a beaming smile. ‘As is the fact that I am elated to be here, even if it is about minus forty out.’
‘It is cold out there,’ Jamie agreed. ‘But that makes being inside by the fire even more satisfying.’ He shifted his chair in closer to the table, warming her further because he was ready to move on from the conversation about Hollywood. ‘So, you’ve come here to escape from the chaos of LA?’
‘Yes. For a reset. And it’s been great so far. I mean the scenery is fantastic.’
‘It’s a stunning country alright.’
‘I wasn’t talking about the country.’
Jamie pupils darkened and desire glittered there.
‘You’ve enhanced it a million percent,’ he said, lowly.
All she could do was stare at him. She could soak this man in for hours, bathing in this moment, luxuriating in the strong angles of his jaw, the oceanic fathoms of his gaze, feeling this tug between them like an anchor pulling her down, down, into that ocean where she was more than ready to swim, drown, whatever the ocean wanted.
Her trance was broken by the sound of Jamie’s chair moving back on the floor tiles.
He rose and she was treated to the full measure of the man.
So tall. So broad. Her core stirred. He came round to her side of the table and, just as he had in the sauna, he gazed down at her, pure masculine intent occupying the space between them.
‘Alicia.’
‘Jamie?’
‘Come.’ He reached his strong hands to hers and she took them, stood, no resistance.
‘Here.’
She teetered towards him and he wrapped his huge arms around her. Pangs of arousal and swathes of safety coursed through her. She looked up at him waiting to see what he would do next.
‘You okay?’ he asked.
She managed to nod.
‘Good.’ Jamie gave an affirming nod of his own.
And then his hands were on her face, his mouth was claiming hers, his stubble was glancing at her skin and his heady scent was spinning her senses like an out-of-control Ferris wheel.
Jamie, Jamie, Jamie. Please, never stop kissing me like this.
You do it so well. He was invading her soul and disorientating her mind.
But Jamie was only offering a tease, dipping his tongue in as she widened her lips, then moments later, pulling back and examining her face, to see if she liked the appetiser.
All Alicia could manage was a breathy ‘Oh, God, Jamie.’
‘Is that a good Oh, God, Jamie?’ He watched her, expectantly, waiting for the answer that she suspected he knew.
‘Oh, God, yes, it’s good.’ His lips quivered at her words. How she wanted them on her own again, wanted them all over her body, wanted them calling her name whilst he was losing himself inside her. ‘Kiss me again.’
‘I was always going to.’ He did as she bid, firmer this time, crushing his mouth against hers.
Alicia recognised fragments of the kiss from the sauna, but Jamie had taken it up a notch because this time, they were ensconced in the privacy of his lodge and the drapes were shut.
And the best part was, she was free to indulge, to be taken, turned on by, lost in this absolute hulk of a Scotsman without worrying an iota about what anyone else might think.
She moaned into him.
‘Let’s go to my sauna and finish what we started,’ Jamie burred into her ear. ‘I can’t tell you how much I need to be with you, Alicia. Like really with you. Fucking you.’
Oh God! Alicia’s knees buckled. Jamie had been nothing so far but a gentleman, so to hear him speak so frankly stunned every one of her nerve endings into submission.
‘Aye?’ He was questioning her, but he knew the answer. Knew she wanted it. How much she wanted it. But she wasn’t without hesitation.
‘Are you sure it’s safe?’ she asked.
‘Like private, you mean?’
‘Yes.’ Alicia was grateful he understood. Jamie might not have known her fame up until ten minutes ago, but how much she valued privacy hadn’t passed him by.
‘I’ll make damned sure it is. But if you’re not comfortable with it, we can stay here. I can just as easily give you everything I want to in my bed.’
‘No. I want to.’ Alicia let Jamie take her hand and lead her to the door.
The wind was howling around the lodge and it would be easy to stay here where the fire was roaring, and the comfort abundant, but she needed the next level of heat.
They both did. He was right; they had unfinished sauna business.
On the porch, Jamie’s lips were on hers once again, hot in contrast to the wild wind whipping around them. He cupped her face and muttered. ‘Bed is closer.’
‘No,’ she said. ‘I want the original plan.’
‘Aye?’
‘Aye.’ She slid her hands inside Jamie’s shirt, roaming over the warm, firm muscles underneath.
The tightening in his jawline, the expression of fraying resolve suggested it was a long time since he’d been touched like this, if ever.
It only intensified her desire. She wanted to be the one to undo him.
‘C’mon.’ Jamie wrapped his hand around Alicia’s and tugged gently. ‘Let’s go.’
And out they dashed, into the snow, their laughter and desire swirling with the snowflakes.
Inside the sauna, he switched on the coals and she shivered.
‘I’ve never been in a cold sauna,’ she said.
‘It won’t be cold for long. Before you know it, it’s going to be very hot in here.’
‘Are you sure nobody will come in?’ Alicia wouldn’t put it past Dean to turn up.
‘I don’t think anyone is crazy enough to be out there in this weather, do you? But there’s a little latch right here that can ensure it’s only us.’ Jamie flicked down the wooden lock so the door couldn’t be opened from the outside. ‘And if we keep it hot enough the window will stay steamed up.’
‘Mmm, okay,’ Alicia murmured. ‘Nice and hot and only us.’
‘Exactly.’ He poured a scoop of water on the coals – they sizzled – and turned his attention back to her.
‘Are you wearing your gold bikini under these clothes?’
‘No. Would you like me to be?’
‘I’d never say no to that bikini. But, right now, honestly, I’ve no need of it. And neither have you. You won’t be clothed for long.’
Alicia barely had time to register how turned on she was by this before his ravenous mouth was on hers again, the bulk of his body urgent against her; his arousal throbbing in his jeans, a hungered hum vibrating in his throat. It was hard to tell who was moaning harder, Jamie or the north wind.
The temperature in the small wooden cabin rose.
It could be the heat from the coals or their fever for each other but already clothes were becoming superfluous.
Jamie yanked Alicia’s sweater and top over her head and threw them on the bench.
He grazed his wide fingertips across her nipples, alert and craving attention through her lace bra.
‘Oh!’ Alicia’s head tipped back and her eyes succumbed to gravity. The merest contact from this man was like lightning conducting through her whole body. How was that so?
‘You like that?’ Jamie tweaked the hardened peak of her nipple.
‘Yes. God, yes.’
‘Good, we’re just getting started.’
As she stood in front of Jamie in her bra and lounge pants, he pressed his huge, hot frame close again and kissed her hungrily, whilst unclipping the bra, before throwing it the way of her sweater and top. He stepped back to gaze at her breasts and his jaw tightened.
‘Fuck me! You are something else, Alicia.’