Intercepted (16 page)

Chapter 21:
Natalia
:

By the time we call it a day is past four. My legs are practically
shaking from the exertion of a long ski day. It feels good and it temporarily
distracts my thoughts from constantly going back to Jake.

Jake who taught me how to swim.

Jake who saved me from dying in the snow.

Jake who is leaving tomorrow.

At the base of the mountain, Dani circles her arms around Dillon
’
s neck. I can
’
t wait to get her alone. I have never seen Dani
this clingy with a guy. In her defense, Dillon looks equally whipped. Or maybe
all American men are masters at making women believe they are interested. The
jury
’
s still out on that one.

Jake props his skis on one shoulder and walks to where I am. I
’
m forcing my eyes to focus on anything but him
because he looks like he just walked out of a catalog for ski apparel.

We
’
ve played a cat and mouse game
all day, and I am mainly responsible for that. I just don
’
t know how to feign disinterest when all I want
is for him to stay longer. I shake my head. Now I
’
m being ridiculous. Jake is not attached to
anyone and I
’
d be a fool to think ‘I can
change him.
’
I want to slap myself and
throw me under a cold shower.

He approaches and I can feel his eyes burning on me. I look up and our
eyes lock. In the glow of the snow his eyes have that endless brandy hue that
makes my brain forget its basic functions.

“Want to hang out later?” He smiles. “It
’s our last night.
”

Now I want to slap
him
, because I don
’
t need any reminders that this will be our last
night together. Jesus, it would probably be a good idea for me to spend the
night by myself, away from any sharp objects.

“Sure,” I murmur, because despite the violent thoughts I am a fool and I
want every minute he can give me.

“Dani said there
’
s a party
later in the village for somebody
’
s
birthday? Do you think the guys and I can come?”

I nod.

“What
’
s the matter?” He frowns.

I don’
t want you to go.
“Nothing. I
’
m just spent.”

He envelopes me in his arms. His frame towers over me and I press my face
against his Jacket. It
’
s cold. Like
me. I bite hard to reign in the tears. My throat swells until it hurts.

“Maybe we can sneak out early and come back to my villa,” he whispers in
my ear. “I want to spend time alone with you.” He pulls back and brushes my
cheek with the back of his hand. It
’
s
getting damn hard not to cry. Reaching up, I close my eyes and kiss him.

“That sounds great.”

Dani, Zack and I order drinks at the sports bar where Lane
’
s party takes place. It didn
’
t start until nine in the evening, and the
day-staff from the resort trickles in as they finish their shifts. The party
will go until sunrise and tomorrow everyone will walk around like zombies. It
suits me just fine, because I already want to erase tomorrow.

Jake and his friends will be meeting us here at some point. For the
moment, I enjoy time alone with my two friends. I spent the first ten minutes
grilling Dani over Dillon. She has no defense. She is totally into him and that
’
s that. I have never seen Dani so ‘into
’
someone. I shake my head and look at Zack. He
’
s been quiet and has a somber halo over his head.
I kick him under the table to get his attention.

“What
’
s the matter? It
’
s a party.”
Huh.
He could be saying the
exact same thing to me.

“Mariana broke up with me. Over the fucking phone.” His eyes are trained
on his beer.

“What the fuck. Seriously? Why?” Dani and I look at each other. She
shakes her head slightly to let me know this is news to her, too.

He shrugs. “She can
’
t handle the
long distance, I guess.”

“Zack, you are going home in a
month
.” I frown.

“I underestimated the whole long distance thing,” he says, still looking
at the beer as if it contains the dreams he just lost. “I thought we could do
it.”

“Jesus, Zack.” I reach over the table for his hand and squeeze it. “You
and I. We both did. But that doesn
’
t change
that Marc and Mariana are a pair of assholes for letting us believe everything
was alright. Marc and Mariana.” I smirk. “They even sound like a couple of fuckers.”

Zack chuckles.
“Yeah. I guess she met someone else, too.”

I roll my eyes. “
Shit
. Of course.”

Zack finally looks up from his beer. His eyes are etched with hurt. He
doesn
’
t deserve this.
Fuckdammit
. I stand up and
take Zack's hand. “Come here.” He obeys and I pull him into a hug. At first his
arms are limp, then they slowly circle around my back and hug me. I tighten
mine and after a few seconds his grip is so tight I can barely breathe. I close
my eyes and the tears spill down my cheeks. I am not sure if I am crying just
for Zack, or for me as well.

He finally pulls away and I quickly wipe my cheeks. He rubs my head when
he sees my eyes wet.

“Let
’
s
get shit-faced.
” He forces a grin
and I nod. Dani locks eyes with Zack and she blows him a kiss as he sits down.
He smiles.

Jake, Pete and Dillon are suddenly at the table. I didn
’
t hear them approach at all. When I look up at
Jake he
’
s scowling. His eyes dart from
Zack to mine. What
’
s his problem? Dillon pulls
Dani into his arms and gives her a deep kiss. I feel a pang of jealousy. Dani
doesn
’
t seem affected by the fact that Dillon is
leaving tomorrow. I wish I could be as ‘in the moment
’
as Dani.

The guys slide into the long booth. Before sitting down, Jake tugs on my
hand and leans down to kiss me.

“Everything okay?” He whispers. His eyes Dart to Zack, who is talking to
Pete.

“Yup.”

He nods and slides into the seat beside me.

We have a few beers and after a couple of hours it is hard to keep my
eyes open. Dani and Dillon have already disappeared. Pete is engaged in a pool
game with Zack, Derek and other guys from the resort. Jake and I are the only
ones left at our table. Neither of us has said much tonight and I am invaded by
a sense of dread.

“Do you mind if we leave?” I look up at Jake and he gives me a
half-smile.

“Of course not. Let me just tell Pete.”

I watch him while he makes his way to where Pete is and they have a brief
conversation. Pete pats his back and says something that makes Jake shake his
head in annoyance. I want to know what Pete said.

Sneaking into my room is easy, since most of the day-staff is at the
party and the night-shift is in the guest areas. As soon as I close the door
behind us, Jake pulls me into his arms and kisses me hard. I close my eyes and
try not to think that I won
’
t get to do
this with him after tonight. I won
’
t be
able to touch him. The thought burns as it whirls inside my head. I kiss him
back hard, so hard he has to grip my shoulders and pull me back so he can take
a breath. Our eyes meet and it
’
s too
late.

I
’
m already crying.

“Don
’
t,” he mutters. His eyes are
etched in pain.

“Sorry.” My voice is raspy and thick with emotion.

He hugs me tight and we stay like that for a long time. Just holding each
other. Then he takes my face in his hands and kisses me deeply. I tangle my
fingers in his hair and do the same. Our tongues intertwine in a sensual dance.
We undress each other. Slow at first, then with movements that become more and
more desperate. We drop on the bed, our mouths saying all the things our words
can
’
t.

Jake presses me down to the mattress, my body pinned under his weight,
then thrusts inside me almost violently. I gasp, not from pain, but surprise.
He fills me completely and it
’
s Heaven. He
presses himself deeper, then pulls back, then does it again. His fingers brush
the hair off my face. His eyes are blazing as they lock into mine.

“Tell me something, “ he says. His voice is hoarse with need. “What will
you do tomorrow? Will you think of me?” He thrusts deeper and I gasp.

“
Tell me,
” he whispers.

I blink at him. It is hard to focus on anything, but the amazing feeling
of him inside me. I want to close my eyes and let go. But his eyes are so
intense it
’
s impossible to look away.

“Tomorrow…
doesn
’
t matter, Jake. You
’
ll be gone.”

He thrusts into me again and I close my eyes, but he holds my chin with
his hand.

“Will you be with him?”

I frown. “What? Who?” I
’
m breathless.
He possesses all of me and I want to surrender.

“Your friend. I saw you in his arms, tonight.”

What? WTF? The inebriating lust from a second ago recedes like a whip.
Pressing my hands against his chest, I push him off me. I wince when he pulls
out of me and sits back. My whole body tenses in protest. Jake frowns and
watches me as I slide against the headboard.

“What the hell, Jake?” I mutter. “What gives you the right to ask me
that? Even if you saw what you think you saw?”

He closes his eyes as if he
’
s
reigning in his temper.

“Nothing. I have no right. I just…
Dammit
, Natalia. I can
’
t let go of you.”

“Why?”

“
I don’
t know,” he snaps. “I
’
ve been trying to figure out the same thing since
I first met you.
Fuck
. We
’
ve been
through this. I don
’
t get
involved with women this way.”

His words cut through me and the reminder of the way in which he does get
involved with women seeps into me like poison.

“Why is that, Jake?”

“Natalia.” He lets out a deep sigh. “Let
’
s not do this now.”

I ignore the bewitching sound of my name as it travels through me. “I
want to know, Jake.”

“Don
’
t.” He frowns.

I frown back and neither of us says anything more. Our eyes are locked in
a stupid stare-off. He
’
s sitting at
the foot of the bed and I
’
m pressed
against the headboard. The air between us is electric.

The seconds pass, melting away the little time we have left together. My
heart constricts. I don
’
t want to
argue. I want to be pressed against him, so tight that there is no space at all
between our bodies.

Jake closes his eyes and hangs his head in resignation and for a second I
think he
’
s about to get up and leave.
Panic flashes through me and I launch myself to him, wrapping my legs and arms
around his body like a vine.

“Let
’
s go back to before this
conversation started.” I say against his mouth. “Let
’
s not talk anymore tonight, Jake.” I crush my
mouth against his and after a second his arms are around me and he
’
s lowering me back onto the bed. I
’
m immediately aroused and he groans when his hand
moves between my legs and his fingers slide in and out of me.

“Fuck,” he whispers and then he
’
s inside
me. It
’
s desperate, guttural and driven by need. I match
his every move because in this moment we are both feeling the same. He slams
into me and I am lost, drunk with images of Jake as the rest of the world
fades.