Nordic Lessons (17 page)

After the mindless wall-banging session last night, we drove to his home in the forest and talked long into the night. I learned that he’s a man of many interests that run the gamut from sports to music. He’s also very curious, wanting to know about my childhood and the schools I attended. One painful topic I’m not quite ready to discuss is the loss of my parents. No, that’s locked so deep inside that it will take a pickaxe to pull it out.
Maybe one day ….

When I woke this morning, he was propped up beside me, typing on his laptop. Before I could ask whether or not he was seriously working on a Saturday morning, he asked if I was up for a weekend getaway. I snuggled into him and said, “Absolutely.” Now, the endless list of destination possibilities is turning over in my head like a Ferris wheel.
He told me that we’re only spending one night, that he’s backlogged with work and can’t afford to miss a day between now and Christmas. So, that must mean that we won’t be going very far …. Hmmm, Sweden maybe?
When we stopped by the apartment and I asked him what I should bring, he simply said ‘kinky underwear and warm clothing’ because we would be outdoors.
Okaaaayy ….

I turn on the radio and find an alternative station. “Fader” by The Temper Trap instantly puts me in an upbeat mood. The brilliant beat and cool lyrics have me swaying in my leather seat.

“Oh!” The door swings open, startling me out of my own private jam session.

With an amused expression, he rumbles, “Enjoying yourself, babe?” He tosses a large, white-handled bag into the back seat.

“Indeed I am.”

His chin lifts and he breaks into a full smile. “Glad to hear it. Gonna grab us some drinks and a couple of chocolate croissants. The shit at the airport blows. Any requests?”

“A hot tea would be lovely.”

“You got it.”

The rear passenger door slams shut and he strides confidently up the busy sidewalk, hands tucked into his front jeans pockets. He’s wearing a jet black Helly Hansen down parka. It’s the first time I’ve seen him in anything other than leather. A little thrill goes through me as I recall the naked fabulousness of his body. Since we first met, my libido has been in a delicious state of constant turmoil, easing a bit when he makes me come for him, but even then, only briefly.

A beep on my mobile interrupts my wicked memories. I slide it out of my purse and read the new text. “Hello, Elora. I may be arriving earlier than I’d initially planned. Looking forward to showing you around Oslo. I’m sorry you’ve been stuck there alone. I’ll keep you posted. Alexander.”

I text him back, “All right, sounds good. Don’t work too hard. Looking forward to catching up and hearing all about Asia. Love you, Elora.”

I’d like nothing better than to have my brother accept Mikkel, but deep down I’m very worried that it won’t be easy. Ever since the loss of our parents, Alexander sees himself as a father of sorts. My resentment of his patronizing attitude has been building for years, and at times it threatens to boil over. His advice can be suffocating.

Knuckles rap on the glass and I hit the window button.

“Here you go.” He hands me a tall, steaming cup of tea and a wax paper sleeve with a buttery chocolate croissant inside.

“Yum, thanks.”

“Yep.”

He rounds the front and slides in, places his coffee in the holder, sets down his croissant and pulls out into the busy street.

He glances over at me. “You excited,
min
skjønne
?”

With a sly grin, I say, “Well, I’d be more excited if you’d just tell me. Please?”

“You’re too damn adorable to deny. All right, ever heard of Svalbard?”

“Svalbard? No, I haven’t. Is it in Norway?”

“Sort of.”

“Not following.”

“It’s part of Norway, but it’s actually a set of islands in the Arctic. Midway between Norway and the North Pole. We’re hopping a flight directly to Longyearbyen, the only town up there with an airport. You’re into scenic shit with your paintings, so I thought it’d be cool to take you there.”

I go solid and manage to blink a few times.

“Elora, hello, you all right?”

“You’re taking me somewhere scenic, because you think I’ll like it?”

His brows draw together and he glances over to me. “Yeah, and?”

“Mikkel, I adore you. Really, I do.” I lean across the black console and place a kiss on his hot cheek. “Thank you for thinking of me.”

“Jesus, babe, what kind of fucking douche bags have you dated in the past?” He holds a hand up, stopping me before I can answer his question. “Wait, I don’t wanna know. Just know that it’s all good. You’re mine and I take care of what’s mine, baby, always. I want you to be happy, to be inspired, Elora, to live the fullest life possible.”

Tears well up in my eyes and start to spill over. I look away and try my best to blink them away before he notices.

“Look at me.”

When I do, he takes my hand and presses his lips into the center of my palm just before pulling back to say, low and slow, “
Jeg beundrer deg virkelig, min skjønne
.”

“What?”

“I said, ‘I really admire you, my beauty.’ ”

My brows draw together and I wonder if something was lost in translation. “Why?”

“Because you’re so completely open, so genuine. I don’t cross paths with many people like that, baby.”

“Thank you, Mikkel.”

“No need for thanks. It’s the truth. We’ll be at the airport in fifteen. Need to haul ass once we get there, because our flight leaves just over an hour from now. Reach back into that bag and grab the shit I bought for you. Slide the coat and boots on and pack the rest of it in your bag.”

“You bought me a bag full of clothing?”

“Yeah, damn right I did. There a problem?”

I puff out a long, slow breath. “My head is spinning with all this, this, well everything. You’re too much, Mikkel. I’ve never dated anyone who was so caring. Thank you.”

“Jesus Christ, woman, you’ll learn soon enough that your welfare is on the top of my mental list, although I appreciate the gratitude. I sure as fuck can’t have my baby freezing like an icicle up there, especially with what I have planned for us this afternoon.”

“And that would be?”

A sly, secretive smile forms on his lips. He reaches down to take a sip of his coffee, and without looking my way he says, “Oh you’ll see, and I can guarantee that you’ve never done it before.”

Oh my.

I
can see the excitement in her clear eyes as the blustery wind causes snowflakes to swirl about her. Glancing out at the pristine white terrain, I can’t help but hope we’ll encounter what we’re setting out to find today. We’re headed in the direction of the colossal glaciers. I hope she’ll be able to take the arctic cold out here. I’m accustomed to it, but today it’s far colder than normal, close to unbearable.

“Okay, Elora, Sven just said that we need to follow close to him at a distance of no more than a snowmobile between us. You’ll be in the middle on your Cat and I’ll tail you, all right?” I have to yell over the whine of the three whirring engines.

“Yes, okay! You have your mobile on you, right? My battery died and I forgot to pack the charger.” She looks excited rather than nervous, which is a good thing.

“Mine is back in the room. Wouldn’t work in these temps. All right, keep it steady and raise your right arm up if you need anything. Stay close to me.”

She nods and I place my gloved hand on her shoulder before stepping away to mount my ride. I reach down to double-check the security of the black neoprene strap that’s attached to the Remington 700 Mountain SS. It hangs at an angle across my back. All good. Sven’s armed as well. It’s an absolute necessity as we head out on our tour of the glaciers today. Svalbard is polar bear country, and with males weighing well over a thousand pounds, you’d have to have a death wish to venture out without both a high caliber big game rifle and an experienced local guide. Up ahead, Sven raises his glove and makes a forward motion, signaling that we’re off.

When I mentioned observing polar bears, I thought her eyes were going to pop out of her skull. She gushed, “Yes! I’ve always wanted to see them, and in the wild would be a dream.”

We had only enough time to drop our gear back in our room in the Trapper’s Lodge Hotel before we needed to be in the lobby to meet our guide. He checked her over, making certain that she was dressed appropriately for the elements. I bought her the most expensive North Face down parka they had. The shade of rich teal matches her eyes and the oversized fur hood makes her look both adorable and supremely fuckable. I shift around a bit on my wide leather seat. My throbbing erection has been constant since we took our seats on the plane in Oslo. I can’t keep my hands off her, and from the way she responds to my touch, it’s clear that the feeling is more than mutual. Yeah, gonna lay into her hard tonight.
Hope there’s a stereo in the room ’cause it’s gonna get nice and loud.

Sven offered Elora a gun if she could provide a driver’s license. She didn’t have one and I assured him I’d look after her. She could end up hurting herself without proper training. She agreed. I could tell that she was apprehensive about even touching a rifle, which is reasonable because it’s just as rare to see a weapon in Norway as it is in England. Guns are highly regulated. Cops in both countries don’t carry them and the majority of guns in Norway are rifles that are used primarily for hunting. Like most of my buddies, I have several. The ones that can be registered, are, and the others, well, that’s my call. With the random shit that comes our way, it would be tantamount to a death sentence not to have protection.

We’re heading away from town toward the shore and the glaciers. The landscape is a total whiteout. The wide, yellow lenses of our goggles allow for maximum visibility, but with the snow coming down at a pounding, sideways angle, it is difficult to discern anything in the distance. It doesn’t take long before we spot a bear, most likely a male because he’s solo and massive. In Svalbard they are protected as endangered animals but if one attacks, you’re allowed to shoot. Sven told us that nine times out of ten they see humans as odd curiosities, exhibiting little to no interest in us. Before riding out we had to show him that we were carrying nothing edible—not even a drink other than water—because that shiny black nose of theirs can scent shit for
miles,
not to mention that they’re shockingly fast when in pursuit of something they want.

Before we get too close, about a hundred meters out, Sven raises his arm, a signal for us to halt. I pull up near Elora and take in the look of wonder in her wide eyes.

Sven calls out, “Leave the Cats running; we can dismount and have a look. Remember, no sudden movements, and stay close to the rides.”

“All right.”

Just as with my motorcycle, I swing a leg off and walk across the packed snow and ice to stand next to her.

I lean in so she can hear me over the engines. “You ride well for someone who’s never driven one of these, babe. C’mon, hop off and pull out your camera. Can’t take any while driving and the light’s gonna be nonexistent in just over an hour.”

She hops off, pulls down her neck gaiter and smiles up at me. “I hope my camera still works in these temperatures. I will never, ever complain about cold, dreary London days ever again. Svalbard takes cold to an entirely new level!”

If I have my way, she’ll never live in England again. I want her with me, in my life on a daily basis, forever. Every day I think the ache, the mental and physical need will lessen but it only hooks me deeper. I know it, can feel it to the depths of my soul. I’m in love with her. It’s a stone cold fact.

I stare down at her as she fucks around with the lens cap just before slinging the strap over her neck. Sven walks closer to us. In English he tells her, “Okay, Elora, the male looks like he is focused on the hunt. See how he’s perched on the edge of the ice here?”

“Yes.”

“Their main diet is ringed seal, and the bears are very powerful swimmers. All those layers of fat keep them from freezing. Take your pictures now, because he looks like he’s about to go after something. I’ll get out my binoculars and scout for more. The other day there were seven of them in this area, so they shouldn’t be too far away. After you take your pictures we need to head across to the glacier. We want to be certain to return to Longyearbyen well before twilight.”

She adjusts her lens a few times and begins to get busy. Her arms are trembling slightly.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t bring anything hot to drink out here, but it’s just not safe. We’ll get you a nice spiked hot cider when we hit the lodge, baby.”

Still peering through her lens she says, “No, really, I love it out here. I never knew that someplace like this existed. I can’t thank you enough. Truly, it’s astounding and I’m already sad that we have to go back tomorrow.”

I step behind her and spread my legs open in a wide stance while holding her around the waist. Sven is busy scoping out shit with his binoculars when I lean low to murmur against the right side of her hood, “We’ve got a lot to explore tonight, new sights and sounds. Are you looking forward to it?”