Doing the Right Thing (34 page)

“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.

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.

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 favorite 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 bum,” 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 vapor 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 gray 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, molded 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?”

“Why are you so sure I wouldn’t have given in?”

Addie turned to Ed. “Would that have happened?”

“He never gives up. He’d have turned into an ice cube first.” Ed’s voice seemed subdued.

“See?” Addie turned back to Will. “Only now you’ll never know whether I let you win.”

Will groaned and Ed chuckled. “It took me fifteen years to learn that trick.”

“Want to try again?” Addie asked. “Ed can judge.”

“No, I have something else in mind that doesn’t require an audience,” Will said.

“And if get back on that lounger I won’t be fit for it.”

With a speed that made her jump, Ed sprang out of the hot tub and strode off.

“What’s the matter with him?” Will asked.

Addie stared after Ed. She knew and so did Will.

Addie opened the packet of stick-on bra cups and studied the diagram.

“Can’t you wear the dress without them?” Will asked.

“No.”

He leaned against the bathroom door watching her walk around in red lace pants, black shoes and nothing else.

“Why do we have to leave the hotel for the meal?” she asked.

Just what Will was thinking. “Jack likes to use a restaurant in Ludlow that belongs to a friend of his.”

“So Jack’s going to be there?”

“Yep. He’ll be interfering tomorrow too, and presenting prizes.”

“Ooh, am I in line for one?”

“You should be.” Will sat down before he fell. His heart was extracting blood from his legs and pumping it to his groin.

Addie peeled off the adhesive tape, stuck it to the edge of the cup and pressed it under her breast.

“Is there a right and left?” he asked.

Addie’s gaze flashed to his. “Why? Does it look wrong?”

“I just wondered.”

She took her hand away and the cup flopped forward. Will earned a glare for his snicker. He tightened his lips when she fastened two of her fingers together. From then on it was all downhill. By the time Addie had the tape in place on the second cup, the first was peeling off. Addie clamped her hands over each breast.

“Don’t laugh,” she said.

“Want me to help?”

“You won’t keep your hands still.”

After a couple of minutes, Addie let go. The two pieces of foam dropped to the carpet.

“What did I do wrong?” she wailed.

Will retrieved them and examined the edges. “These aren’t going to stick to anything. Are you sure you weren’t supposed to stick the tape on you?”

“God, I give in.” Addie pulled on the dress. “I feel half naked. I
am
half naked.”

Will gulped. Her back was bare and her breasts covered only by strips of diaphanous material secured at her neck by a chain. A fast movement would reveal everything. A slow movement would have a similar effect. In fact, she didn’t even have to move at all.

“Well, that’s that. I don’t know why I let you buy me this dress. I can’t go to the ball, evil fairy godfather.”

“Don’t you have it on back to front?”

“No, It’s…oh.” She rolled her eyes. “Will, I won’t be able to move in this in case my boobs pop out.”

“Great.”

“I mean it.”

“They’re only little things. No one will notice.”

“Bastard.”

“Hussy.”

“All right, I’ll sit with my jacket on.”

“Are you going to dance with me with your jacket on too?” he asked.

Addie lifted her face to his. “Dancing?”

Will kissed her nose, then her lips. “I only want to dance with you. I don’t want you dancing with anyone else. At all. “
Especially not Ed.
“You’re mine and I’m yours.”

* * * * *

They traveled to the restaurant by coach. Jack Magelan was waiting to shake hands and exchange a few words as each person arrived. When Addie moved in front of him he acted as though she was the invisible woman. She stood with her hand out for a few awkward seconds before moving away, her face burning. Will hadn’t noticed, but Genghis shot Addie a puzzled look. For once Addie felt a hint of sympathy from her boss. Addie lingered nearby and watched. She was the only person Jack treated like that. Maybe he knew she was leaving.

Will came up with two glasses of champagne and handed one to her.

“Cheer up,” he said.

Addie smiled. Who cared about Jack Magelan and his hairy palms.