Doing the Right Thing

by Barbara Elsborg

  Tony’s face became redder and rounder and Addie wondered if she could make him pop. That would be an interesting challenge.

  James opened the envelope and took out a sheet of paper. He looked at it for a few moments and then turned it upside down.

  “Come on, James,” Tony said, his foot twitching. “What do we have to do?”

  “I can’t read it.”

  Tony snatched the sheet, scanned it and handed it to Phaedra. “Let everyone have a look,” he said.

  When the sheet reached Addie, she gave a brief smile and knew this was Will’s doing. It returned to the hands of James.

  “Some sort of code?” James suggested.

  “Looks like a language,” Bernie offered.

  “That’s what I thought,” Tony announced. “We’re in the library. There’s probably a dictionary. That will be the challenge, to see if we can find it. Louise, you start at that end, take the first two sections. Bernie, follow Louise.”

  Addie sat and listened as he took charge again and allocated work to each member of the team.

  “Opted out already,” Tony snapped at Addie who had not moved from her seat.

  “If you’re not going to take part, what’s the point in being here?” Graham asked. “This is about team building.”

  “I don’t need to look for a book,” Addie said. “I know what it says.”

  “What?” Tony demanded.

  “Coffee and biscuits in the breakfast room at eleven. Be prepared to exchange one of your team members.”

  “How do you know?” Phaedra asked.

  “It’s Japanese. I have a degree in it.”

  A sea of incredulous faces turned in her direction.

  At lunchtime Addie slipped upstairs and was disappointed not to find Will in either room. She stared out of the window. It had stopped snowing, the sun was out and the world looked new and clean. The hotel sat on a bluff above a river valley and the water below wound like a slinky black ribbon across a wedding-dressed landscape. Addie wanted to play and went back downstairs.

  Outside the hotel, the pristine white grounds ached for a snowman, but Addie had left her gloves in the room. Taking a deep breath of the cold, crisp air, she closed her eyes and turned her face to the sun. How quickly life could change. Misery to happiness in the blink of a Will. She sighed with happiness and then jolted as something punched her in the back.

  Some bastard had thrown a snowball. She glanced round and saw Ed tossing a ball of snow from hand to hand. He stood there smiling, his shirt sleeves rolled up, dark trousers crumpled low over his hips and there was a look in his eyes that brought Addie up short. Her heart lurched and she swallowed hard. Stop it. This was Ed, not Will.

  She bent and scooped up enough snow to make a large ball of her own, ignoring her freezing fingers. The first one she threw missed by miles and Ed laughed. The second one fell yards in front of him.

  “Come nearer,” he called. “I like to give the physically impaired a chance.”

  Addie stepped forward, throwing a fistful of snow every few feet. Ed ducked each of her pitches until Addie was about ten feet away.

  “If you can’t hit me from there, I’m going to take you to an optician,” Ed said.

  The following ball missed, but the one after, the one Ed hadn’t seen in her other hand, didn’t. It curved in a graceful arc and landed smack on top of his head. He stood stunned for a moment and then shook the snow from his hair and growled like a bear.

  “Sucker!” Addie dashed past him toward the house.

  The next snowball caught her on the neck. Snow slithered down her back and she squealed.

  “You’re going to regret that,” she said and packed another ball in her hands.

  When Will came out of the door, he stared in dismay at the scene unfolding before him. Ed and Addie were behaving like school kids. Addie chased Ed, then Ed chased Addie. Snowball after snowball flew through the air. They were both soaked and Addie was squealing.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Will bellowed and they both froze.

  “Having fun,” Ed said.

  “I’m all wet.” Addie shivered.

  Will’s eyes flashed between the pair of them and he tried to conceal his anger. Addie looked as she always did, sweet and innocent, but Will didn’t miss the predatory gleam in Ed’s eye. The look that said, game on. Will clenched his fists. Ed grabbed a fistful of snow.

  Addie squealed and leapt behind Will.

  Now Addie couldn’t see his face, Will glared at Ed. “You better get changed, Addie. Ten second start.”

  When Addie ran, Will moved toward Ed, who let the ball fall from his hand and started to kick snow off his shoes.

  “What?” Ed lifted his hands in the air. “We were just playing.”

  “Don’t,” Will said, his fists clenched at his sides, his voice barely under control.

  “Have you told her you’re going to be a daddy?”

  Will wanted to punch Ed and not just because of what he’d said.

  “I’ll tell her. I want us to have a few days of fun.”

  “This is wrong, Will.”

  Will walked right up to his brother, their faces inches apart. “It has nothing to do with you. Don’t wreck this for me.”

  Will wanted Ed to answer, say he wasn’t trying to, but his brother pushed past him and strode toward the hotel. Staring at his back, Will wondered how long Ed had been looking like that at Addie. He could feel his heart hammering. Had he missed something? Ed could flirt for a living. Was that all this was?

  By the time Will reached her room, Addie wasn’t wearing a stitch of clothing, just the black shoes he’d bought her the day before, her wet clothes on the floor at her feet. Will’s mind converted to a single track, all thoughts of Ed banished.

  “Oh Christ,” he muttered and pulled her into his arms. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”

  “I wasn’t—”

  “I know, I know.”

  Will kissed her all over her face and neck before he allowed his lips to touch hers, because he knew what would happen when they did. When Addie opened her mouth and allowed his tongue in, the intensity of feeling that swept through him made Will forget to breathe. She had her own pure taste and intoxicating scent. Will groaned into her mouth as her hands moved to his trousers. When she unfastened the button, unzipped him and slid her hand inside, he trembled.

  Addie pushed his shirt aside and held him in her fist, rubbing him across her belly piercing. Moments later she was on her knees, had his cock in her mouth and Will was digging deep for control. She sucked gently and then harder and he pushed his fingers into her wet hair. Will sidestepped onto another planet. It had been a long while since anyone had done this for him. Vee wouldn’t, not even with a flavoured condom. He’d forgotten how good it felt to have soft warm lips wrapped around him. She trailed her tongue from the tip to the base and back again, then licked at his crest, fluttering her tongue until Will’s knees shook with the effort of holding back. When she opened her mouth and engulfed as much of him as she could take, Will’s balls drew up.

  “Addie, if you don’t stop I’m going to come in your mouth,” he whispered.

  She paused, looked up at him and even that threatened to send Will tumbling out of control.

  “Is that bad?” she asked.

  Will moaned. “No, sweetheart. I’m just warning you.”

  She smiled and wrapped her lips and this time her hand as well around him. He was lost. The fact that he was dressed and she was naked except for those shoes was such a turn-on that he was surprised he hadn’t exploded already. A few more sucks and Will felt the orgasm seize his brain. White lightning flashed down his spine, his balls exploded and his cock jerked in Addie’s mouth. Oh God, I’m going to choke her. But she kept him where she wanted him, swallowed and swallowed until the last spasm had died away. When Addie let him out of her mouth, she licked him clean. Will needed to lie down.

  “Did I do it right?” she
asked.

  He was incapable of speech. He sank to his knees and wrapped his arms around her, pressing his face into her hair. Oh God, her first time.

  “Why is it called a blowjob? Should I have blown and not sucked?”

  Will shook his head and gave a slow smile. “I think it’s because it makes a guy blow his load.”

  “Guys like it, right?”

  “This guy does.”

  Addie gave him a shy smile. “I liked doing it.”

  “Thank fuck for that. Now it’s my turn,” he said and pushed her back on the bed.

  Chapter Thirty

  Addie was only late for the afternoon session by a few minutes. When she walked into the library, Tony sat tapping his watch with his nail like a rabid woodpecker. There had been a change to the schedule, and instead of a hostage-taking scenario, they had to create a snow sculpture. Every team had been designated an area in a field at the side of the hotel, Wellington boots and waterproofs provided.

  Addie’s blue team came up with some bizarre suggestions, including a chess board— how would they do the black pieces? A flock of sheep—how would they see them? Finally, they voted for Louise’s idea of the Titanic hitting the iceberg. Addie didn’t point out that recent research had suggested it had been a fire that sank the ship, not hitting a big clump of ice.

  Once they were out working in the snow, it became clear Louise gave the best creative input, and everyone, except Tony, followed her instructions. His face grew redder and redder as he dragged piles of snow to their marked-off section. Addie guessed he intended them to construct a full size model of the ship.

  “Look, I’ve made Leonardo and Kate,” Addie said holding up two columns of snow.

  “Which is which?” Bernie asked.

  Addie stuck a lump on the front of one column and two lumps higher up on the other. Bernie laughed. But it gave them the idea for life boats containing miniature snow people. They each made one.

  When the whistle blew, Addie found herself next to Will.

  “Enjoy that?” he asked.

  “I can’t remember when I had so much fun. Oh yes, lunchtime,” she said with a grin. “So, what do you think?”

  Will looked at the other snow sculptures—a huge castle, a family of four on a couch watching TV and an enormous snowman and snowwoman in a compromising position.

  “They’re all good. It’s going to take us ages to choose,” he said.

  “Hot chocolate in the library,” Justin shouted.

  “See you there?” Will asked.

  “No, I’m going to test that bikini you bought me,” she said. Will groaned. “I’ll make this a quick decision.”

  Addie shuffled through the glass conservatory in her hotel slippers, slid past the indoor pool toward the outer door. She pulled the hotel bathrobe tight around her body before stepping under the covered walkway that led to the outdoor pool and hot tub.

  Judging by the unblemished snow, she was the first to risk frozen toes. She pushed the slippers into one of her pockets, along with her key, before leaving the robe on a bench. Addie hopped through the snow, trying not to yelp, and jumped straight in.

  As she sank beneath the warm water, she sighed in pleasure. She’d been chilled that afternoon, but this was lovely, like swimming in a huge bath. She popped to the surface and set off through the steam to the far end, her wet hair crisping in the cold air. There was something decadent about swimming outside in the middle of winter, and even though she had to keep ducking under to defrost her head, Addie began to unwind.

  “Is it warm?” Louise called from under the walkway.

  “Fabulous,” Addie shouted back.

  Louise stood at the far end in a swirl of steam, a larger shape appeared behind her, then there was a squeal and a huge splash. James popped up next to Addie.

  “Wow,” he gasped. “This is great.”

  “James, you pig,” Louise spluttered as she swam toward them.

  “You were dithering,” James said, edging behind Addie.

  “Who won the snow sculpting?” she asked.

  “The sex-crazed snowmen. Tony was apoplectic.” James grinned.

  “Oh God, that will be my fault,” Addie said.

  “No, he’s blaming Lou.”

  Addie glanced at Louise, who was treading water next to her.

  “Hey, don’t worry. I’m his favourite detestable person,” Addie said. “It won’t take much for me to regain my rightful place. If he gets in the pool, I’ll drown him.”

  “Everyone else stayed inside,” James said. “The call of the bar was too strong.”

  “That’s not very team-spirited. Just when I’ve come up with a new challenge. Who can lie longest on a sun lounger?” Addie said.

  Louise grimaced. “The sun beds are covered in six inches of snow.”

  “Is that all? I thought it was more. Never mind. Want to play?” Addie asked.

  “Not me,” Louise said at once.

  “I will.” James swam in a circle around her. “Go on, Lou. It will be fun. We can jump in the hot tub together afterwards.”

  “Oh, all right.”

  Addie smiled. She’d wondered about those two. She also wondered if anyone had thought something similar about her and Will, and hoped they had. She didn’t like it being a secret. Maybe when she wasn’t working for Magelan’s it would be different. Addie felt hands around her ankles and she plunged underwater. She came up coughing. Will lurked a few feet away, trying to look innocent.

  She put on her just-you-wait face and swam toward him. Will launched a stream of water at her from his mouth.

  “We’re having a competition,” Louise said.

  “What are you planning?” Will asked.

  “Lying on a sun lounger as long as you can,” Addie said.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ed slip into the pool and dip under the water.

  “I’m in,” Will said. He swam around to the back of Addie and whispered in her ear. “I was wondering how I was going to deal with a certain issue that’s come up. Lying in the snow should—”

  Will disappeared under the surface and Ed popped up in his place.

  “Was he annoying you?” Ed asked.

  “No.” Addie laughed.

  “Well, he was annoying me,” Ed said.

  An arm came up from the water, wrapped around Ed’s neck and pulled him under.

  Addie swam out of the way as the water churned around the pair of them. There were more people in the pool now and Louise tried to persuade them to join in the challenge. Only the men agreed.

  “How about you, Ed?” Louise asked.

  “No way. I’ll sit in the hot tub and count down from five once you’re all on the side.” He hoisted himself out. His whole body glistened and steamed as he moved across the snow to the Jacuzzi. Addie’s breath caught in her throat. He looked— Oh God, what’s wrong with me?

  “Stop ogling my brother’s arse,” Will said at her ear.

  “All out,” Ed shouted.

  Addie began to freeze as soon as she levered herself from the water. Everyone stamped up and down, clouds of water vapour pouring off their bodies.

  “Ready?” Ed called. “Five. Four. Three. Two. One and a half. One and a quarter.”

  “Ed!” Will yelled.

  “Go.”

  Louise had barely left her outline on the lounger before she squealed and headed for the hot tub.

  Addie lay back and stared into the dark sky. A fat snowflake landed on her nose and she laughed.

  “Christ, Addie, it’s not funny,” Will said at her side, his teeth chattering.

  She scooped a handful of snow, moulded it into a ball, and lobbed it straight onto his stomach.

  Will gave a cry of anguish. “That’s cheating.”

  “Oh, sorry.” She threw another snowball at James and then yelped as several landed on her.

  In the frenzy of flying snow, two more gave up and jumped into the pool. Addie had lost feeling in her back. She raised her
hand to her head. Stiff hair. James joined Louise in the hot tub and as Addie had somehow expected, only she and Will were left.

  “Keep going, Addie,” Louise urged. “Don’t give in.”

  “Easy for you to say when you’re simmering like cannibal stew. If I stay here any longer I’ll have to be chipped off with an ice pick.”

  Addie jumped up and sprang toward the hot tub, only to slip on the edge and fall headlong into Ed’s lap. He pulled her up and she spat out a mouthful of water.

  “Sorry. Did I hurt you?” she gasped.

  “I’m okay. How about you?” Ed held her by the shoulders.

  “I’m fine now I’m in hot water. Except it’s so hot it hurts. Oww.” Ed still held her. Addie waited. “It’s okay, Ed, you can let go now.”

  “Sorry.”

  But Addie didn’t think he looked sorry at all. He looked sad. As Will slid in beside him, Ed let Addie go and sank so only his head remained above the bubbling surface.

  “Congratulations,” Addie told Will. “You win the prize for being the biggest idiot.”

  Will submerged his head under the churning water and then came back to the surface.

  “Biggest what?” he asked.

  “Idiot,” Addie said.

  “I thought that’s what you said. Come over here.”

  James moved so Addie could sit next to Will. All at once, the snow came down more thickly, coating their hair and catching on their eyelashes.

  “We look like those monkeys that sit in the hot springs in the Nagano mountains in Japan,” Addie said.

  “We are monkeys,” Ed said. “We could be in the bar having a drink.”

  Under the water, Will’s hand stroked her thigh. He slipped one finger inside her bikini and Addie slid a little further down in the water out of reach. Part of her was a bit hurt. James had his arm around Louise, yet Will wanted to touch her only where he couldn’t be seen. But when Louise and James got out and she, Ed and Will were left, Will’s hand moved up to her breast, clearly visible to Ed. Addie knew what Will was doing and squirmed away.

  “You let me win,” Will said.

  “Is that what you think? Well, you’d have won in the end, so what would have been the point of another ten minutes of torture?”