with his broadness and his own heavy blue winter coat not really aiding her.
‘I know. It was just … I decided my kink and I’m just a little worried about doing it here. I’m not sure how sexy it’ll be if my teeth are clattering,’ she laughed.
Victor smiled down at her, his green eyes finding her brown ones. She knew that look, and it was such a relief to see it again. That mischievous glance that was teasing her, having fun with her. It relaxed Caroline instantly to see it, like an old friend, and she tightened her hug.
‘So … what did you choose?’ Victor asked, bending to brush her ear with his lips.
She loved that. She shivered, and not from the cold, and shook her head. She backed away, placing a finger of her glove to his lips.
‘Nu-uh,’ she said, giggling. ‘Remember? It’s a secret until it’s time for us to do it.’
Victor laughed, picked her up like she weighed nothing and carried her to the bed. He leaned over her – his six and a half feet of height impressive to her five and one inch – covering her completely. He planted a kiss on her lips, deep and full, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Like all their marital problems had just poofed into thin air. He pulled back and unzipped her coat just a little so that he could lean in and nibble on her neck. She moaned, her hips grinding up into him.
‘What’s stopping us from doing it now?’ he murmured into her skin.
Oh, wow, was that tempting. Where was this Victor back at home? His voice was deep, guttural, like he would take her now, no matter her protests. And she kind of liked that. But she resisted, no matter how warm her body had suddenly gotten – which was a welcome relief from the cold she was not used to – and gently pushed her husband up.
‘Nope. We made the mutual agreement that we would spend a romantic, non-sexual evening together. Drinks, dinner, fun. And then sex. That was part of the plan,’ she said.
Victor laughed. ‘If it’s leading to sex, how can it be non-sexual?’
Caroline considered that for a moment. Finally, she shrugged.
‘I just mean, no pawing or groping while we’re out. Just kisses, hugs, dancing, talking, wine, song. You know.’
Victor got back to his feet, and, even through the thick denim that he wore, Caroline could see the familiar bulge of his arousal. It pleased her to know that it was not a rush, there was nothing at stake here – well, save their marriage. But they were not going to make love with the agenda of procreation. It was going to happen naturally. At that thought, her eyes flew to her suitcase, and she bit her lip lightly. She really hoped what she had picked for their new kink was not going to be too silly. Nothing killed the mood like being laughed at.
Victor held out a hand and pulled her to her feet. Once he let go, he handed her a pamphlet, and she took it with a brow raised. As she began to unfold it, he ran a hand over his short blond hair – very short, almost shaved – and Caroline vaguely wondered how his head was not freezing.
‘It’s a list of the attractions and stuff they have here. There’s a bar, a slide … all kinds of stuff. Oh, and you can even take the tour and learn more about its construction and stuff. I know you like tours and crap.’
Caroline laughed, and he gave her a questioning look. She shook her head, her eyes flitting back down to the section of the pamphlet about the bar.
‘I want to do stuff we’ll both enjoy. This trip is about us, not you and me separate, you know?’
He wrapped an arm about her shoulders. ‘Yeah. And, what, five minutes in, and we’re doing OK? Right?’
She breathed in deeply, ignoring the fact that frigid temperatures made her nostrils hurt. She leaned her head on his shoulder – or, at least, as close as she could get to his shoulder – and nodded.
‘Yeah. Honestly, I do feel better.’
‘That’s good, right?’
‘I’d like to think so.’
Victor smiled like he had accomplished some grand quest. He pointed towards the door of their room and gently guided her towards it.
‘Then let’s have some fun, shall we?’
Caroline nodded. ‘OK. But let’s hit the bar first … I think I could use something warming.’
Victor nodded. ‘I agree. Of course, we could just go into the spa that’s attached to this room if we get cold tonight.’
He pointed to a darkened doorway that Caroline had somehow managed to miss in her original scan of the room. Her eyes widened.
‘Is that why you told me to pack a bathing suit?’
* * *
Caroline had to admit, the bar was cool, and this time she was not speaking just of the temperature. They both ordered simple alcoholic beverages to begin with, nothing complicated, and marvelled at the bartender mixing them inside square glasses with a circular centre that were made entirely of ice. To the right of the bar was a fireplace, with clear ice benches surrounding it in a square, while secluded corner booths carved into the walls were behind them and to the left. They chose one of the booths.
She slid in first, followed by Victor boxing her in, and they clinked their cubic ice glasses together before downing the beverage within. The burn of the alcohol was warming all the way down to her stomach, and she instantly felt her body relax.
‘So far so good,’ Victor said, setting his glass down.
‘I wish you’d stop doing that,’ Caroline said.
He turned to her. ‘Doing what?’
‘Counting down the fun. Or counting up. Or whatever the hell it is with you always mentioning that we’re doing good.’
‘But we are. I just want this to work. Is that so bad?’
She shook her head. ‘Of course not. But it’s feeling forced. Like you’re afraid I’m going to explode at you or something.’
‘Well, you didn’t seem too happy with the hotel I picked, even though I got the best suite they have here. That was a private spa, by the way.’
She turned to stare at her husband, somewhere between being pleased that he had really worked hard to pick the best of what he wanted for his portion of their deal and being pissed that he was just assuming that she was angry with him. She chose to go with a middle ground – soft annoyance.
‘I’m not angry,’ she huffed. ‘I was just worried about whether my kink would work here or not. Or whether we’d actually get to have sex in this climate. But I am pleased with your choice. It’s really exotic. Nothing like what we usually do.’
‘You mean, our usual fifty-dollar-a-night cheap hotel where you’re left wondering how many prostitutes have slept on the bed before you?’ he chuckled.
She laughed, nodding. ‘Exactly.’
He lifted his empty glass as
