Snowbound Curves Read online

  Christina couldn’t help herself, she burst out laughing, a loud infectious laugh. He joined her, and then said, “You know I’ve never heard you laugh like that.”

  She wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry, I know I’m loud, at least when our truce is over it will give you one more thing to tease me about.”

  “I promise not to tease you, if you promise to laugh a bit more often.” Christina could sense no irony in his voice. Surely there couldn’t be another side to Phil? Probably not, simply the fact that she was the only female company he would have for the next couple of days meant he would have to practice his charms on her or else he might have withdrawal symptoms.

  Chapter Two

  They both sat down and Phil handed her a plateful of the most delicious lasagne she had ever tasted. “I had no idea you could cook.”

  “I try to when I have the time, I find it relaxing.”

  “So why are you here? Craig didn’t say you were coming up.”

  “It was a last minute thing. He said you were leaving this morning, so I came after you left. Didn't want to cramp your style. Thought you might be having a romantic break with your boyfriend.”

  Christina paused, fork halfway to her mouth. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

  “Really? Craig said you were up here with someone.”

  “Did he, can’t imagine why.” In all honesty Christina hadn't had a boyfriend in months, years really. She enjoyed her work so much it took over her life to the point that she shut everything else out. When she wrote it was as if she were living the lives of her characters, and they always ended with a happy ever after, something Christina was convinced would never happen to her.

  “He told me his name, sounded very well to do. Let me think. Drake, Dante, something like that?”

  “He meant my book. Before I have an official title for it I name it after the hero.”

  “That makes sense, so you haven't had a boyfriend every six months, they were books?”

  “Yes, you seriously thought I had that many boyfriends?”

  “Of course. Sexy, successful writer like you. Guys must be falling over themselves.”

  “OK. Enough. Truce remember.” Christina said trying to keep the edge of anger out of her voice.

  “I wasn’t joking. I mean you hit the best seller lists all the time. I even have girlfriends that have read your books.”

  “Wow. I’m astonished.”

  “Really, it’s true, even had sneak peak myself.”

  Christina giggled. “I actually meant I was astonished that you have girlfriends that can read.”

  “Oh, so you’re a comedian now? Is that what you think? Women must be stupid to go out with me.”

  “No. It was a joke. I know you have had some real classy girlfriends.” They ate in silence for a couple of minutes then Christina asked him. “So why haven't you settled down? Or do you always want to be a bad boy bachelor.”

  “Bad boy, that's me.” He took a sip of his wine, and then answered, “I never found the right woman. They were all hugely ambitious, or didn’t want kids, or to be tied down. You name it I have probably dated it.”

  “Did you ever ask any of them?”

  “No. After a couple of months I usually work out what their agendas are, and settling down and having a house full of kids isn't it.”

  “I never knew that was what you wanted.” Christina had always thought it was Phil that did the running away. She never realised he might want a family of his own. He never seemed the type. This new side to him made her want him even more. Because it was what she wanted, what she had always wanted, to settle down and spend the rest of her life with someone who loved her the way she was, cellulite and all.

  “Reality check,” she thought. “That might be what he wants, but you can bet his idea of settling down involved a trophy wife. Not a fuller figured woman like me.”

  They had finished the lasagne, Christina would normally ask for seconds, it was that good, but decided not to. Instead, she drank her wine and looked out at the snow piling up.

  “We might be here for a few days if the weather doesn’t ease up.”

  “Suits me, I planned on being here for a week anyway. I’m sure there's enough food for two.”

  “You think we can make that truce last a week?” Christina wasn’t so sure. What would they do stuck in this small cabin for a week? OK, so she shouldn't have thought that, her head filled with images of Phil that were not entirely appropriate, but very enjoyable all the same.

  “I’m sure we can think of something,” he said in the sexiest voice she had ever heard, there was no doubt that he had similar thoughts to hers, but then he was only teasing her.

  “I could start a new book, I suppose,” she said trying not to leave an awkward silence.

  He chuckled to himself. “It’s OK, you are quite safe. I have always known you were out of bounds for me. I have some paperwork to catch up on, and some thinking to do. I know the cabin is small but we can work around each other.”

  “What do you mean out of bounds?” Christina asked, she hadn't heard a word he had said after that, it was such an odd thing to say.

  “Craig warned me off you years ago. He told me you thought I was the biggest male chauvinist pig you had ever had the misfortune to know. It hurt at the time, but I guess I’ve grown up a bit and realised you were probably right.”

  “Craig told you that?”

  “Yep. Harsh I thought coming out of the mouth of a thirteen year old. Hurt my ego a little. OK, a lot. It was probably true at the time, and for a few years after. But not now.”

  “Is that why you treated me so horribly?”

  “Sorry about that. It was Craig’s idea.”

  Christina felt the blood drain from her face. Her breathing became shallow as she tried to fight for air.

  “Hey, are you OK? You don’t look so good.” He was by her side in a flash, feeling her forehead to see if she had a temperature. “My cooking isn't that bad is it?”

  “No,” she said trying to pull herself together. “I’m just a little confused.”

  “Might be a chill from being out in the cold, let’s get you to bed.” He stood up and started to pull her to her feet. Christina grabbed his arm and held him close to her.

  “I never said that.”

  “It’s OK. I got over it,” said Phil.

  “No, honestly I never said that to Craig.”

  “You mean he made it all up?”

  “I guess.”

  “But why would he do that?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Phil was silent for a moment. Christina could hardly breathe; all the hurtful things they had said to each other had been because of a lie told by her brother. How could he have done something like that to the two people closest to him?

  “Maybe he was trying to protect you.”

  “Protect me, from what?”

  “Me.” Phil turned to her and looked her in the eyes. “I was off the rails, sleeping around. Then at a party you walked in on me kissing a girl.” He laughed, a short derisive snort. “I can’t even remember her name.”

  “Go on,” Christina encouraged when he fell silent.

  “Sorry, it’s hard remembering what a jerk I’ve been my whole life.”

  “We all learn from our mistakes.”

  “Yep, some of us take longer than others though. Anyway, after you ran off I made some comment to Craig about you growing up and maybe someone ought to teach you about boys.”

  “He thought I was joking. But then he realised I meant it, you looked so lovely that evening, so innocent, and I wanted to corrupt that, and he wanted you to stay untouched by my foul hands.”

  Christina knew he wasn’t joking. “Craig knew I had a huge crush on you, he would have worried I’d fall head over heels with you.”

  “And I would have broken your heart, after stealing your innocence. I can’t blame Craig for wanting to protect you.”

  “No, his heart wa
s in the right place, but I still can’t believe he said that.” Christina wondered how different her life would have been if Phil had dated her. Even being dumped and having her heart broken would be better than the emotional limbo she had placed herself in.

  After all the jibes and names Phil had called her, she lost all self-esteem. That was why she had become so successful at writing. She found it easy to shut herself away from the world. In some ways perhaps she should be grateful, she accounted her success to being a hermit. Yet it had come at the expense of her private life, which was non-existent.

  “It’s in the past now, I apologise for anything I may have said to you. I know I have upset you and being cruel on many occasions. However, I can sincerely say it was driven by the fact that I knew how much you looked down on me. I guess I became the person I thought you saw me as.” He touched her cheek, her senses heightened to the feel of his fingers on her skin. “So you had a crush on me?”

  Christina blushed, “Yes, didn’t all the girls?”

  “Yes.” He laughed. “So at which point did I extinguish that flame of desire.” She blushed an even deeper red. “Ohh, Christina, you still have a crush on me?”

  Christina broke away from him and went to the kitchen. “Don’t be ridiculous. Coffee?”

  He followed her. “Don’t change the subject. Tell me the truth, do you still think of me in that way?”

  “I was a teenager. Teenagers are allowed to have crushes.”

  “You're still not answering me.” He came and stood behind her as she reached the cups down. “Turn around Christina.”

  She stood firmly facing away from him. He placed his hand lightly on her arm and made her turn to him. He cupped her chin in his hand and tilted her face up. “Look at me. Look me straight in the eyes and tell me you do not have any feelings for me.”

  “Of course I do, I’ve known you practically all my life.”

  “So you should hate me. I mean do you have romantic feelings towards me?”

  “Phil, please.” It was no more than a whisper; she could not lie to him, even though she knew she should.

  “Tell me,” he said, lowering his head down so his lips were level with hers.

  Her gaze dropped from his eyes to his lips; involuntarily she licked her own lips caught up in the need to know what he tasted like. She had wanted to know for so long, but was it worth the risk? If he pushed her away and laughed at her now there was nowhere to run, they were trapped together in the cabin until the snow cleared.

  Surely, he would not be pushing her for an answer if he did not want her. He could have let the whole thing go. That bought another more terrifying thought into her head. What if she admitted her feelings for him? And they acted on them. She had never been with a man. Whilst Phil had slept with so many women, he must have lost count.

  “Christina. Tell me,” he whispered.

  “Yes.” She could feel herself trembling even though her body felt feverishly hot.

  Phil let out a long breath as though he had been holding it for minutes. Christina began to wonder if she had done the right thing, but she could not have lied to him. She steeled herself for the rejection she knew would follow.

  “I don’t want to hurt you, Christina. If you say the word, I will let this go and won’t say a word to anyone. But if you want me, I would really like to take you to bed right now. It’s something I have wanted to do ever since that night you walked in on me.”

  Her head spun. She could not quite comprehend his words. Surely, this was one of his jokes, but as she looked into his eyes, she could not see any hint of amusement. He was deadly serious.

  “Yes, please.” She reached up and threaded her hands around his neck. Very slowly, he lowered his head and their lips met for the first time.

  In that one moment, her world exploded. So this was what it was to be kissed. Not a polite peck on the cheek, no a real kiss that made her insides liquid with desire. His mouth pressed against hers and she parted her lips to allow his tongue to lick the inside of hers in a slow sensuous manner.

  Her legs felt like jelly as he pressed further and she submitted to his invasion of her mouth. His tongue tangled with hers, and she tried not to panic, unsure of what she was supposed to do, and convinced that even by the end of this one kiss he would realise how inexperienced she was and laugh at her.

  Instead he leaned down, and with their tongues still entwined, picked her up effortlessly and carried her to the bedroom. He placed her carefully on the bed as though she was the most fragile flower, which had to be treated with infinite care.

  Then he slid down beside her and they lay side by side kissing until she thought her body would explode with pent up tension. He took his time, stroking her neck and her arms, not venturing further until she had relaxed.

  His mouth felt wonderful against hers, his lips soft yet firm. It all seemed so natural, lying here with him, the years of animosity between them melted away. Christina began to feel braver; she touched his cheek with her fingertips, and then stroked his hair, something she had longed to do.

  Then she trailed her hand down over the hardness of his chest, delighted to know he was muscled and well toned, just as she had imagined. How she wanted to take his clothes off and see him in the flesh, to place her lips on his warm skin and kiss him.

  Phil mirrored her actions, taking his cue from her he touched her breasts for the first time, a gasp escaped her lips. This spurred him on; his hand slid under her sweater and lifted it up, and for the first time Christina knew what it was to be stroked by an experienced man. His fingers knew how to coax her nipples into hard peaks, and then to roll them between his thumb to make her whimper in delight.

  Her sex grew heated, and wet, throbbing with a need to feel those expert hands down there. Yet the idea terrified her, she would be truly exposed to him. Did she truly trust him enough for that? When he lifted her sweater further up and pulled her bra cup down so he could place his mouth over her nipple, she did not care.

  If he were leading her on, using her for his own entertainment, then let him, the experience would be worth it. Then her brain switched off, the sensations that flooded it too much for her to process, and she was swept along with her need for him.

  “Let’s get this out of the way shall we?” Phil said, and like an obedient child, she lifted her arms and allowed him to pull her sweater over her head. “And this.”

  Her bra was discarded, and her breasts open to his hungry stare, and then his ravenous mouth. He feasted on her skin, using his hand to push her generous breasts together, and then sucking each nipple in turn. Christina felt herself nearing orgasm, she was so close, her clit throbbed to be touched, and she knew that would push her over the edge.

  Lifting her leg, she placed it over his thigh and then pressed herself against him, rubbing against his leg. She did not know what he would think of her, but she needed to climax. Phil released her breasts with one hand and slid it down to satisfy her craving, rubbing and pinching her through her jeans.

  A cry escaped her, and she came, his fingers jabbing her sex through her clothing, a wonderful sensation. She pressed against him, and her hands clutched at his clothes while his mouth continued their torture of her flesh, leaving her nipples sore. But it was an exquisite pain that she could endure for as long as he wanted to inflict in on her.

  “Now you’re nice and relaxed I think it would be a good time to get naked.”

  Christina swallowed the panic in her throat, naked with this hunk of a man. Sure, she wanted to see him, but she felt a sudden desire to hide under the covers. So she did, sliding under them and pulling the sheet up right under her chin.

  “I don’t think so,” he said, laughing. “I want to see all of you.”

  He knelt by the side of her and slowly eased the sheet out of her tight fists. Reluctantly she let it go, and his hands caressed her breasts again. It was so good, his palms warm against her soft flesh, and she felt braver, he could do magical things to her body.
/>   He began to undo her jeans, Christina turned her head so she didn't have to watch as he deftly took care of the zip and then peeled them down her legs. His fingers grasped the elastic of her panties too and soon all her clothes had been discarded.

  It was only when she felt the bed move under his wait she dared to glimpse up at him and was rewarded by the sight of him stripping off too. Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when she saw the size of his cock. How the hell was that supposed to fit inside her, he was huge!

  Long and erect his cock frightened her. She didn’t know what it would feel like to touch. She felt her breathing become shallow and quick; panic was beginning to take hold of her. Then he smiled and she knew it would be OK, he would look after her, he wasn’t the monster she had taken him for, he wanted her.

  “Open your legs for me Christina,” he said and his words jolted her back to reality.

  “Phil...I.” She didn’t know what to say, how to express her embarrassment.

  He placed his hands on her knees and coaxed them apart, she turned her head away.

  “Come on, it’s just us, you and me. And I really want to touch you.”

  Slowly she eased her thighs apart, knowing he was looking at her down there, in her most intimate place. The colour rose in her cheeks and her face felt as inflamed as her body. Yet the thought of his gaze on her, where no man had looked before made her arousal grow. She knew she was wet, and she knew he would see her juices glistening, ready for him.

  His fingers stroked her thighs, getting closer to their goal. She wanted to clamp her legs shut and tell him she couldn’t do it, but she needed to know what it was like to be with a man. To be with Phil.

  The first touch of his fingertips on her clit made her nearly jump out of her skin.