Risky Negotiations (20 page)

Laci held her stomach because she was laughing so hard. She wiped a tear from her eye as she replied, “Somehow I doubt that. All five boys without dates?”

For the next hour, Laci and Sal traded skiing stories. Laci told him about her first ski instructor and how she had the biggest crush on him. But he wouldn’t have anything to do wither since she didn’t know how to turn. She had to ski diagonally down the slope, then fall onto her bottom and get back up so she could turn around. He told her about his first attempt at a snow boarding and how he’d almost broken his shoulder bone on his first run down the slope. He and his mother had spent the whole day in the emergency room while the rest of the family had fun skiing.

The plane touched down at the Vale airport a little after six thirty that evening. They were immediately met on the tarmac by another limousine that whisked them off to Sal’s cabin.

What the Attracelli clan called a cabin was really a ten bedroom house that had a cabin feel to it. It was two stories and furnished with bare wood furniture. It was very rustic looking but had all the luxuries that anyone could possibly want, including breathtaking views of the mountains and sunset.

As soon as the front door closed behind them, Sal swung her up into his arms and made love to her on the master bedroom bed. She only had a glimpse of rustic, raw pine furniture, complete with the bark still on the bed posts before all her attention was focused on Sal and his mouth, his hands and his breath as he made slow love to her. Laci was sure she had died and gone to heaven as he took her nipple into his mouth and pulled. She arched her back, begging him to end the torture. Eventually, he pulled himself up so he could look into her eyes. “Tell me you missed me while I was gone,” he demanded, refusing to go further until she said the words.

Laci instantly complied. “I missed you!”

“
Ah, Laci,” he said as he slowly entered her. He kept the pace slow, raising the inner tension until she burst into flames, calling out his name in the end. His release came a moment later and he fell onto her, unable to move for a long time.

“
Now that’s the way we should always greet each other,” he sighed into her mouth, kissing her tenderly now that their passion was expended for the moment.

Laci nodded her head, a deep, throaty chuckle of agreement her only response. She couldn’t do anything else since she was too satisfied to move in any other way.

Chapter 8

They dined at the lodge that night. It started off as a quiet dinner for two with candle light and soft music in the background. But right after the salads were brought to their table, two of Sal’s college friends and their wives spotted them and came over to say hello. After a few minutes of talking, Sal asked them if they wanted to join them at their table. A larger table was immediately prepared for the six of them and the evening turned into a hilarious competition to see who could tell the worst story of the other. Laci couldn’t remember having a more relaxing evening.

Sal’s college buddies, Phillip Landew and Mark Ferguson, had gone through four years of undergraduate classes at Harvard together. Phil and Sal had gone on to get their masters degrees while Mark had gone off to law school but the three of them had kept in touch over the years and were eager to hear how things had been going since their last visit with each other.

The wives were just as nice. Phillip introduced Laci to his wife Laura, who was a lovely brunette with a quick wit and sharp blue eyes that seemed to catch everything, including her husband’s teasing glances. Mark was married to a blond woman, named Samantha, who was also an attorney. They loved arguing about everything but did so in a loving, non-threatening way that made everyone feel like they were an extension of their family.

The four new people sat down and immediately included her in their friendship. The women laughed at the silly antics that were recounted of their husbands’ latest runs down the slopes and rolled their eyes, but had obviously heard all the stories before because they had to correct the men several times.

Laura and Phil had been married for ten years. They spoke lovingly of their three children, ages six, eight and nine. Their kids were currently back and their cabin with the nanny watching horror movies. Laura shivered at the thought. “That means they’ll all be in our bed by morning and Phil will be sleeping on the edge of the bed. All three will be clinging to us until the sun rises, and possibly beyond. But they love the scared feeling.”

“
My two girls are probably on the phone with their friends back home. They were horrified that we would take them away for the weekend when all their friends were staying home,” Samantha replied. Samantha and Mark had been married for fifteen years, having gotten married right out of college. Their daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, were now twelve and ten, “Both going on twenty five,” Samantha explained. “You think horror movies are scary! Wait until your kids reach puberty!”

Laci laughed at the female camaraderie. She envied these women their families and the knowledge that their husbands genuinely loved them.

She watched Sal and the other men as they returned from the bar, fresh drinks in their hands. Laci liked the way the three men joked with each other as if they were brothers. Laci took a sip of her wine, thanking Sal for getting her a new glass. The act, simple enough in itself, seemed somehow more significant at the moment for some reason. Sal’s eyes watched her as she sipped the fragrant wine, the intensity fanning the flame inside her. As soon as she put her glass down on the table, he grabbed her hand, gently pulling her onto the dance floor and excusing them from the group.

As soon as they reached the relative solitude of the large dance area, Laci was enveloped into his arms.

“
I’m sorry if I interrupted your conversation but I wanted to hold you. You look incredibly sexy in those jeans,” he said and pulled her tighter against his length.

Laci was breathless for the entire dance. She loved the way she could feel the muscles in his thighs as they dance and the way his heartbeat increased whenever she moved her hand, from his hair, to his shoulder or back again.

After several songs, Sal looked at her in the eyes. “Do you want to stay longer?” he asked, his deep voice vibrating along her already charged skin, making her feel his voice as well as hear it.

She simply shook her head. Sal waived to his friends who were also on the dance floor now, letting them know that he and Laci were leaving for the night. He pulled her along behind him, and they made it to the door in record time. It was only a short drive to the cabin. As soon as the door closed behind them, Sal swung her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs then laid her on the bed.

Laci was amazed that the sex between the two of them was becoming more intense, rather than less so. She thought that familiarity would breed boredom. But not with Sal. Every move he made pulled her into a higher sense of sensuality. Each place he touched with his hands or his mouth made her cry out for release. But he was relentless. He wouldn’t give her what she was begging for, pushing her hands away each time she tried to pull him closer.

Finally, Laci couldn’t take anymore. She pushed his shoulders back onto the bed and straddled him, holding his arms over his head. She guided his sex into her and started the rhythm that would bring them both to fulfillment. He allowed this for a few minutes, then his natural leadership personality took over and he leaned up, took her hips in his hands and demanded that she follow his rhythm. Laci didn’t mind. She loved the way he took charge, making her feel soft and feminine.

Moments later, she cried out her release, tears falling down her cheeks. She was unaware of anything afterwards. She fell asleep with her hair falling over his chest, still attached intimately.

Laci awoke the next morning to Sal nuzzling her neck. She wondered about his energy as she rolled over, giving him better access. He had woken her up three times during the night to make love to her. Now, since the sun was high overhead, she wondered what time it was. But since Sal was demanding her full attention, she gave in to his demands and followed him again into the sensuous world his hands and mouth carried her.

An hour later, they were finally dressed and eating a breakfast of muffins, eggs and bacon at the counter of the kitchen. They spent the day skiing down the slopes, racing each other to the end. Usually he won but occasionally, he got caught behind a slower skier and she was able to pull out ahead. She loved the way he challenged her. It was never just a normal ski down the slope but an all out adventure to beat the other by any means available. Laci didn’t mind cheating in order to beat him. She told him that she needed some advantages over his skill and superior muscle.

By late afternoon, she had to call it quits. She was starving since they had only stopped for hot chocolate earlier. They went back to the cabin and changed. There was a message on his voice mail from Laura and Max asking if everyone wanted to meet up for drinks and dinner again tonight.

Laci was definitely up for company and she had enjoyed the other couples’ laughter the night before. “But I think I need a rest before going.”

“
Why don’t you use the bedroom for a nap and I’ll check in with the office just to make sure everything is okay. Take as much time as you need.”

Laci slept for two hours. She woke up with night already showing through the windows but she felt much better. Sal had worn her out with both his love making and his skiing.

She walked downstairs, wondering where he was. Everything was completely silent so she suspected that he had left her to sleep. She found his note on the counter where she was sure to find it. There was also a tray of crackers and cheese waiting for her and hot cider steaming on the stove. She sipped the cider while munching on a piece of cheese. She read the note and smiled at his thoughtfulness, warmed by his attention.

She hurried through a shower, then pulled on a pair of soft, purple slacks with a matching turtleneck. She didn’t bother putting her hair up again, just let it flow down her back. The ends curled slightly since she was too impatient to dry it completely. After applying some powder, mascara and a touch of lipstick, she flew out the door, pulling her coat on as she ran down the steps.

The limousine driver who had taken them from the airport to the lodge the previous day, Harry, was waiting to take her to the lodge. As soon as he saw her, he jumped out of a Land Rover and came around to open the door for her.

“
Hi Harry. How long ago did Sal leave?”

“
Only about an hour ago. So you aren’t too far behind him,” he said as he closed the door beside her. As soon as he stepped into the driver’s seat, the car sped off, Laci held on to the door handle, sure that they were going to run into one of the snow banks.

Fortunately, they arrived at the lodge in one piece. As soon as the SUV stopped, Laci jumped out and waived to Harry as she rushed through the main entrance, grateful to be on non- moving terrain.

She unzipped her coat and scanned the lobby for Sal, wondering where he was going to meet her. “Ms. Anderson?” a man asked, wearing a turtleneck shirt and jeans with a name tag pinned to his ski sweater.

“
Yes,” she replied, confirming her identity and waiting for him to relay whatever information he obviously had for her.

“
Mr. Attracelli asked that you meet him in the bar.”

Laci smiled politely. “Thank you. I guess he’s been here a while, hasn’t he?” she said, already knowing that he’d been there for the past hour waiting for her.

He shook his head in answer. “Only about fifteen minutes,” the man responded. He bowed slightly and moved away towards another client, not realizing how much he had confused Laci.

She made her way to the opposite end of the lobby where the bar was located. She scanned the dimly lit room, trying to find Sal. She saw him at the end of the bar, laughing with Phil and Laura. The bartender was putting down drinks in front of the couple, but Sal was already halfway through his. As soon as she stepped into the bar, Sal seemed to sense her presence and looked up. He smiled when his eyes lit upon her and he stood up, immediately making his way over towards her.

”You look much better,” he said and bent down to kiss her gently.

Laci smiled, instantly forgetting her worry over the missing forty minutes. As soon as Laci joined the other three, a hostess arrived and led them to a table that looked out onto the mountain. The foursome enjoyed seafood and large, fragrant potatoes, all of them demolishing the meal on their plates. Laci, who usually could barely eat half a meal, was amazed that she wasn’t painfully stuffed after eating every bite. But she supposed that a day of skiing would increase anyone’s appetite.