by Cara Malone
Carmen rolled her eyes good-naturedly and tugged on her dad’s jacket to get him into the line, but the patriarch of the Castillo family would not be budged. He said, “I just know I’m going to break something out there. I’ll watch you guys from the lodge and have some hot cocoa waiting when you need to warm up.”
Lucia shook her head at him and said, “I can’t believe you’re chickening out on one of your own itinerary items.”
Then he headed upstairs to the lodge and Joy got everyone else the equipment they needed. Joy rented a pair of skis for herself as well since she hadn’t had the time to have her snowboard binding replaced, and of course it would be easier for her to teach the Castillos to ski if she had matching equipment.
Carmen started to get a little anxious as they lugged their equipment over to the benches to button up their jackets and put on their boots. She said, “I don’t know, maybe I should sit this one out with Dad.”
“Is your ankle feeling okay?” Lucia asked as she helped the twins put on their boots.
“It’s fine,” Carmen said. “But I don’t want to twist it all over again.”
“You won’t,” Joy said.
“How can you be sure?” Carmen challenged.
“Well, for one thing you’ll be wearing the proper equipment,” Joy said. “Those boots are stiff for a reason – they’ll protect your ankles. And for another thing, I’m going to give you lessons so that you’ll be safe out there.”
Carmen still looked a little concerned, but Joy convinced her it would be fine.
“Sheesh,” she said as she shoved her foot into her boot. “I’m surprised you guys settled on a ski vacation if you’re all so afraid of the slopes.”
“I think it was more about the white Christmas and the snowy atmosphere,” Lucia said with a laugh.
“Well, Emerald Mountain has plenty of that,” Joy said. “But you’re going to learn to ski while you’re here – I’m making it my mission.”
The five of them finished getting their gear on and zipping up their coats, and then Joy helped them all make their way outside. She showed them how to walk in the stiff ski boots – heel to toe, heel to toe, creating a rhythm as they walked.
“You have to kind of rock in them,” Joy said, demonstrating for her audience. “Get some momentum going.”
“Like this?” Carmen asked, trying to do the same. She was clumsy, but she got it after a minute and they all came to a stop at the base of a very gentle hill so that Joy could show them how to step into their skis.
Joy bent down to help the twins into their snowblades, letting them put their hands on her shoulders to steady themselves as they snapped their boots into the bindings. Then once everyone got used to their skis, Joy taught them the basics – the back and forth motion of the skis that could be exaggerated to slow down or curtailed to speed up, the use of the poles for balance, and most importantly, how to point the tips of their skis into a triangle shape, or snow plough, to stop.
Then she pointed up at the novice hill directly in front of the lodge and said, “You ready to try it out?”
“Yes,” the twins said, while in the exact same moment, Carmen and her mother said, “No.”
Joy laughed, and then reminded them, “You said you wanted to learn how to ski. It’s not that bad – this is barely a hill.”
“Tell that to the medics when they have to come help me off it,” Carmen said with a laugh.
“Oh, please,” Joy said. “This slope is so tiny we wouldn’t even bother calling the medics – we’d just shove you down to the bottom with our ski poles.”
That got a laugh from the twins and helped to break the tension. Joy showed them how to build some momentum with their skis across the flat ground at the base of the hill, then led them all over to a tow rope, which was nothing more than a rope leading up the side of the hill with a series of plastic handles that came by every ten feet and carried skiers to the top of the novice slope.
“There’s no chair lift?” Carmen asked, and Joy laughed.
“Not for a hill this size,” she said. “The tow rope isn’t difficult – you’re just going to position yourself beside the rope and watch behind you for a handle. When it comes by, grab on and hold tight until you get to the top of the hill.”
“Yeah, right,” Carmen scoffed. “What if I trip?”
“Then you let go of the rope and get out of the way before the next person on the rope runs you over,” Joy said. “You’ll get the hang of it, but you have to practice.”
Carmen went first, approaching the rope with a little more cajoling from Joy and letting several handles pass her by before she finally got up the courage to grab one of them. It jolted her forward and Joy called to her, “Keep your skis parallel until you get to the top.”
Joy watched with a little bit of apprehension until Carmen was about halfway up the hill without incident, then she got Marisol in position next. Both of the twins were much braver – fearlessness was a trait of the young – and they grabbed the tow rope without incident. Joy watched when Carmen got to the top of the hill, wincing as she accidentally crossed her skis over each other and nearly fell, but she got it sorted out and used her poles to keep herself upright. Then Joy got Lucia on the rope and then hopped on herself.
When the entire Castillo family had arrived on the flat area at the top of the hill, their skis pointed down toward the lodge, Joy showed them how to dig their poles deep into the snow to keep from sliding down the hill. Then she asked, “Are you guys ready?”
“Yeah,” Marisol said, looking like she was ready to push off and go flying down the hill. Maria looked a little more cautious, Carmen looked worried, and Lucia looked just about ready to take off her skis and walk back down the hill.
“You’re all going to do just fine,” Joy reassured them. “Just give each other plenty of space and if you feel like you’re losing control, just sit down in the snow and you’ll stop. Oh, and have fun – you’re on vacation, so stop looking at me like I’m sending you to your death.”
The twins went down first. Marisol shot down the hill so fast that Joy started getting nervous, shouting with her hands cupped around her mouth for the girl to snow plough when she got to the bottom, otherwise she’d end up smacking straight into the lodge. She didn’t manage to get her skis into that triangle formation Joy had showed her, but she did have the good sense to sit down when she got to the flat part of the hill to keep from crashing into people traveling back and forth from the lodge to the rest of the hills.
Maria and Lucia took a more conservative route, ploughing almost all the way down the hill and making their way slowly and cautiously to the bottom.
Then it was Carmen’s turn. Joy watched from the top of the hill as she started out in plough like the rest of her family, and then about halfway down the hill she got brave and leveled her skis out for a few seconds, picking up speed and wobbling a bit but keeping her footing. Joy cheered her on until she returned to the safety of plough, and then Joy made her way down the hill, swaying back and forth across it to get the most out of the little slope.
“What did you guys think?” she asked when she reached the bottom, and the reviews were mixed. The twins had loved it, Carmen thought it was fine, and Lucia was still pretty sure she might die.
They all took a few more stabs at the bunny hill, and Joy watched as they got a little more comfortable with the tow rope and with their skis with each successive run. They spent a couple of hours on the slopes, and even though they never got up the courage to try any but the smallest hills, they all had a good time.
Even Lucia loosened up after a few more uneventful runs, although it didn’t take long for her to heat up in her expensive coat. On their fifth or sixth time down the hill, they met at the top and she said, “I think this is my last run. Who knew it would be possible to sweat on the side of a mountain?”
“I could have told you that,” Joy said. “Although that coat you’re wearing would be great if you ever got caught in an avalanche.”
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Carmen laughed, and Lucia added, “I think I’m going to head over to the lodge and see what Daddy’s up to after this run. Anyone want to come inside and warm up with me for a little while?”
The twins agreed, especially after their mom made mention of ordering some manner of sugary après ski snack, and the three of them made their last run down the slopes, leaving Joy and Carmen at the top of the hill. Carmen was just about to shove off when Joy reached out and grabbed her by the hem of her coat.
“Hey, hold back a minute.”
“What’s wrong?” Carmen asked, and Joy pulled her backward until their skis entwined.
“Nothing,” she said, wrapping her arms around Carmen’s waist and turning her head to kiss her. “I just wanted to tell you I’m having a really good time with you this week.”
“I am, too,” Carmen said, then after a brief pause she added, “It’s a shame the week is almost over.”
“Let’s not think about that right now,” Joy said. It sent physical pain into her chest to think about the fact that they had a mere three days left together. She held Carmen tight and kissed her like it was her last opportunity, and then Carmen reached into her coat pocket and pulled out her phone.
She opened the camera app and held the phone out in front of her, saying, “I want a souvenir to remember you by.”
Joy squeezed her tighter and hated the idea, but she kissed Carmen’s cheek as she snapped the photo. Then while she was tucking the phone back in her pocket, Joy asked, “Are you going to send that to your friends in Cancun?”
“No,” Carmen said. “This one’s just for me.”
Twenty-One
Carmen
It began to snow and Carmen and Joy came in from the cold soon after her mother and sisters went to meet Dad in the lodge. Instead of following them, Carmen grabbed Joy by the collar of her ski jacket after they’d returned their rental skis and pulled her into a deep kiss.
“Do you want to go back to the cabin?” she asked. “I’m sure my family will be in the lodge drinking hot cocoa and basking in the fact that they can now call themselves skiers for at least another hour.”
“So you’re saying there’s a good chance we could have the cabin to ourselves for a little while,” Joy said.
“Yes,” Carmen answered, giving Joy a seductive smile. “That is exactly what I’m saying.”
“Sounds nice,” Joy answered. “Should we go make sure your mom stays occupied in the lounge first?”
“Nah,” Carmen said. “Better to let them assume we’re still on the slopes.”
Joy laughed, then let Carmen drag her out the door. The snow was falling fast now and the plows hadn’t gotten back on the roads just yet, so the walk to the cabin felt longer than it really was. They walked hand in hand the whole way there, Carmen resenting the fact that it was cold and that meant there were two layers of gloves between their fingers. She spent the walk telling Joy just how sexy she’d looked skiing down the bunny slopes, and how she couldn’t tear her eyes away from her the whole time they were out there.
As soon as they got inside the empty cabin, Carmen pushed Joy up against the front door and unzipped her coat, putting her arms around Joy’s waist and holding her close. Joy let out a little moan of pleasure, and then as Carmen slipped her hands beneath Joy’s sweater, her moan turned into a gasp and she said, “Ooh, your hands are like icicles.”
“Sorry,” Carmen said, rubbing them together and smiling at Joy while she tried to get the blood flowing again. She wasn’t used to the challenges of cold weather seduction, and this little delay only served to amp up her desire for Joy all the more.
“It’s okay,” Joy said, taking both of Carmen’s hands in hers. She put her lips to Carmen’s fingertips and exhaled hot breath on them. Looking up at Carmen, she murmured against her skin, “I’ve got ways to warm you up.”
The purring quality of her voice sent a shiver through Carmen, and her pulse quickened as she waited to find out what Joy had in mind. Joy unzipped Carmen’s coat, pushing it down her shoulders and hanging it on the coat rack near the door, and then she shimmied out of hers as well. She kissed her, tongue sliding over her lips, and they kicked off their boots without allowing themselves to separate from each other.
“Come on,” Joy growled, her voice vibrating against Carmen’s skin as she walked her backward toward the hallway.
“My room?” Carmen asked.
“No,” Joy said. “I told you I’d warm you up, and while I’d love nothing more than to lay you down in front of the fireplace and kiss every inch of your body, I think I’d be ruining your parents’ high opinion of me if they found us in that position.”
“So what do you have in mind?” Carmen asked as Joy slowly backed her down the hall, her hands exploring her as they went.
“There’s more than one way to warm up after a day on the slopes,” Joy said, and she pulled Carmen into the bathroom. Closing the door, she pushed Carmen against it and their bodies came together firmly as they kissed again. Then she said, “Don’t move.”
Carmen let out a little whimper as Joy stepped away from her, giving her a wink that did more to melt her insides than any fireplace could. She was obedient, though, keeping her back against the door as she watched Joy go over to the large bathtub in front of the window. It looked out on the same secluded part of the mountain as the living room, nothing but snow-covered trees and steep mountain peaks behind them, but the world outside of the cabin could have burned and been reduced to ash for all she knew, because she couldn’t see anything beyond Joy.
Joy bent and turned on the faucet, testing the water with her hand and then, while the tub filled, she poured in a little bit of soap from a bottle on the lip of the tub. Then she turned around and walked slowly, teasingly, back to Carmen, her hips swaying with every step.
“Do you want to share a bubble bath with me?” she asked when she joined her again, her hand going to the front of Carmen’s sweater and their hips connecting. Carmen’s heart was pounding and she would have agreed to anything if it meant getting closer to Joy.
“I would love to,” Carmen said, and Joy took her hands, twining their fingers together and pinning them on either side of Carmen’s head.
Then she bent down and gently kissed the exposed skin at the crook of her neck. She pulled Carmen’s sweater over her head, dropping it to the floor, and Carmen felt her skin beginning to prickle with goosebumps. The tub behind them was filling with warm water and beginning to fill the room with steam, but she still wanted Joy’s warmth most of all.
She’d had enough teasing, being pinned to the door and her hands kept from Joy’s body. She pushed off the door and put her hands on Joy’s waist, guiding her over to the sink, where she lifted Joy onto the counter and their hips connected once again in the most tantalizing, tormenting way.
Twenty-Two
Joy
What started off slow and teasing quickly turned into a frenzy as Carmen put her hands on Joy. The touch ignited her whole body, and everywhere Carmen’s fingers brushed over her it felt like a thousand little sparks going off and spreading deeper into her core. Joy leaned in to kiss her as they finished undressing each other, shedding layer after layer that had been so necessary on the slopes but which were only keeping them from each other now.
The bathtub was close to full and Carmen’s skin was dimpled with goosebumps despite the steam that fogged the mirrors. The marble countertop of the sink was cold against Joy’s hips and she slid off it, guiding Carmen backward to the tub beneath the window. She turned off the faucet, then led Carmen to the edge of the tub. It was sunken into the floor, large enough for two to share it comfortably, and Joy held Carmen’s hand as they stepped slowly into the warm water, getting used to the temperature as they sank into the tub.
When they were sitting down, the water just below Carmen’s breasts and the bubbles teasingly obscuring her nakedness, Carmen leaned back against the edge of the tub. A few tendrils of her hair floated along t
he surface of the water and her skin was dewy with steam. Joy crawled over to her on her knees, slowly so as to keep the water from sloshing over the edge of the tub. Beneath the surface, she put her hands on Carmen’s thighs and separated them slowly. Carmen let out a little whimper and sank further into the water as Joy’s stomach and then her pubic bone slid between her thighs.
Joy could feel Carmen’s body tense up, seeking her, and she moved her palm between Carmen’s legs. Joy kissed her – first her lips, and then her jaw, and then her collar bone, and then as Carmen arched her back at Joy’s underwater touch, her breasts rose above the surface and Joy licked the little droplets of moisture from her skin.
Carmen put her hands on Joy, her palms gliding over her breasts and then down her sides to squeeze and caress every curve. Joy closed her eyes, taking in every unique sensation of this moment – the water that moistened her lips every time she kissed Carmen’s breasts and her neck. The sweet cocoa butter smell of the bubble bath. The warmth of the water mixing with the warmth of Carmen’s hands on her. The uncertainty of where she ended and Carmen began.
She was inside her and against her, their movements creating waves out of the water. Carmen put her head back against the porcelain edge of the tub and let out a long, low moan into the steamy room. Joy pressed her body more urgently against Carmen and enjoyed every inch of contact as she slid her fingers slowly back and forth. Carmen’s breathing got a little faster and coarser as her body responded.
She threw her arms around Joy, thighs squeezing her hips, and Joy pinned her against the side of the tub as she rolled her thumb over her and kept moving her fingers, kissing every inch of Carmen’s breasts, neck, and tender lips until she felt the spasms of Carmen’s body against her hand and her arms tightening around Joy’s shoulders.
Then she melted back into the water and Joy was perfectly content to wrap her arms around Carmen and rest her head on her chest, staring out at the picturesque mountain in front of them. It was still snowing and Carmen’s soft skin was no longer prickled with goosebumps. Joy kissed her neck and Carmen returned the gesture, kissing the top of Joy’s forehead, then she pushed Joy away, causing a wave of water to slosh over the edge of the tub and spread a little way across the bathroom floor. Carmen pushed her against the other side of the tub, kissing her and ordering her up onto the ledge.