Holiday Fling

It had been a long day and Caitlin was shattered. In her head she conjured a deep silky bubble bath accompanied by jasmine scented candles, and afterwards, snuggling up underneath crisp cotton sheets.

Then an elbow dug her in the ribs – "Sorry Cait, didn't see you there" - and she returned to reality. The impossibly overcrowded hotel room was hot and her niche on the floor was growing too uncomfortable. Caitlin might be ready for bed but her roommate for the holiday, Louise, had other ideas. It was Lou's birthday, and even though they hadn't met a single other person in the ski resort before this morning, she was damn well having a party.

Caitlin found herself rising to her feet from the carpeted floor. She just had to get away from the inane chatter of drunken gap year students and snowboard junkies.

Leaving the hotel room behind her, she wandered slowly down the short corridor. The sounds of partying were gradually muffled as she climbed the stairs to the icy balcony that fronted the final two guestrooms, on the second floor. The blast of cold started to wake her up as she looked at the dark mountains and the pin-pricked sky, and she took deep breaths. Sooner or later she'd have to join the fray, but first she'd soak in the peace for a few minutes.

"Hello there."

Caitlin jumped. She'd thought the top floor rooms were unoccupied.

"Uh, hi." She quickly turned to face the young guy next to her on the balcony. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't be up here. I was just getting some air."

"It's a free country," he said. "Are you staying here? Or are you just at that bloody party downstairs?"

"The party..." Rather embarrassed, she admitted, "It's actually my friend's birthday. The party's in our room."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

"No, no, it's fine. I was sick of it anyway."

He looked relieved. "So you escaped up here. It's a fantastic view, but a bit cold for star-gazing, don't you think? Especially without much... without a coat."

"I suppose so," Caitlin replied, suddenly self-conscious of her tiny top and the thinness of the fabric. "It seemed a sensible outfit, downstairs! It was hot, with all those people."

"But you're cold now, right?"

He was looking into her eyes, but as he said it he moved his eyes slowly, deliberately, down to her chest, where her pinched hard nipples showed clearly through the blouse.

Caitlin knew she should be feeling uncomfortable. He was obviously flirting with her, a complete stranger, and he compelled her. She dropped her gaze and looked up at him through her dark eyelashes. He was looking at her with a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

"So," she said lightly. "I'm Caitlin. What's your name?"

"Mark."

There was an awkward silence. Caitlin knew it was her move. She could ask another casual question, go back to the party, even ask him along. Or she could do... well, she wasn't sure exactly what, but something to pursue this flirtation further.

"It's certainly cold up here," she stalled. Your move now, she thought.

He made it easy for her, asking, "So are you going back to the party? Or would you prefer... would you like to come in, chill out for a bit by the fire?"

It was Caitlin's turn to flirt now. "I'm already quite chilled! But do you mean you have an open fire?"

He nodded.

"Then, if you really don't mind, it would be lovely to come and warm up for a while," Caitlin said. "Before going back to my room," she added, carefully.

Inside the second floor apartment it was dimly lit and warm. From the balcony they entered straight into a reception room with lush velvet curtains and a log fire sparking along one wall.

Mark offered Caitlin a glass of wine and they settled on the thick rug in front of the fire. As he poured Merlot from the bottle, she studied his profile. His dark thick hair had been the first thing she noticed but now she had an opportunity to discover his strong nose, sensuous wide mouth, and finely sculpted cheekbones.

He turned and saw her looking at him but said nothing, just passing her the glass. Then sitting back on his heels, he returned the compliment, taking a long stare at her. Caitlin felt an uneasy thrill as his eyes took in her straight blond hair and skimpy party outfit, while she sat curled on the rug next to him.

"So," she said. "Are you here on your own?"

Mark gave a grin and broke off his long gaze. "Yes, for this evening at least. I'm actually supposed to be here with a friend from college, but his plane was delayed, and he's not arriving until tomorrow now. So I've got the place to myself for the night."

Caitlin knew she should feel unnerved, knowing that she was quite alone with this stranger. Anything could happen. Then she discovered herself wanting it - wanting something to happen.

"Are you ok?" Mark asked.

"Yes, of course," she replied a little uncertainly, not sure whether she should just go, before she let his deep eyes and the red wine get the better of her. "Just thinking."

"You looked a little distant. Tell me, what were you thinking about?"

Caitlin didn't know what to say. The truth – that she was wondering if he was about to seduce her, and that she was deliberating whether she wanted him to – seemed rather inappropriate.

"Just the fire, you know. The shadows and the wavering light... It's very soothing, very relaxing."

"And romantic?"

That at least confirmed it; she wasn't imagining the flirting. She turned away from him and looked into the fire. Taking a long breath, she decided.

"And sexy," she said, with deliberate huskiness in her voice.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him putting his wineglass down. Caitlin resolutely stared into the leaping flames and watched the sparks float upwards, as her heart began to beat faster.

She felt his hand touch her bare ankle, as he moved closer towards her. That first contact, skin to skin, jolted Caitlin so that she took a small involuntary gasp of breath. He was closer now and she could hear him breathing in his ear, and feel the air from his mouth on her barely-covered shoulders.

Mark softly stroked her ankle and moved downwards. Caitlin felt him unbuckling one delicate silver sandal, then gently doing the same on her other foot. All the time, her breathing growing shallower, she looked at the burning wood and the colour of the flames. Not watching made it even more sensuous.

Quietly he asked, "Alright?"

Closing her eyes briefly and slightly smiling, she nodded, and allowed him to slowly draw her legs straighter, all the time stroking and touching.

"You're looking very serious," he said, and Caitlin realised he had been watching her expression most of the time. It suddenly felt very good, very empowering, that although he was making all the moves, he was watching her face to gauge his steps.

"Just concentrating," she replied.

"Good. But you will let me know..."

"Oh yes," said Caitlin, although somehow she didn't think she would be telling him to stop anytime soon. As his hands moved gradually upwards, caressing her soft inner leg, she felt a glowing, tingling sensation in her stomach.

Mark's hands reached her thighs. She did not resist as he drew her short skirt further up, exposing her tiny white panties. She gave a small moan as he began to rub between her legs, the thin cotton barely any barrier to the pressure of his fingers brushing against her swollen clitoris and engorged labia.

Unable to resist now, Caitlin turned to watch him. Mark was still concentrating on her face, and he smiled back at her flushed features and enraptured expression, before lowering his eyes.

She rested back on her arms as he bent and pulled her panties aside. Caitlin felt a rush of blood and adrenalin as his lips brushed against her inner thigh. Then she felt his searching warm tongue between her labia, and she let out a sigh of pure pleasure. He flicked his tongue upwards and found her clitoris, vigorously licking it and pinching it playing between his teeth. She teetered on the edge, wondering how long she could bear this intense sensation, as he worked with unceasing enthusiasm around her clit. Finally he buried his mouth deep into her, his tongue dipping in and out of her wet vagina, and she gently rocked herself with delight at each movement.

After some minutes, Mark raised his head and looked up at Caitlin. She saw her wetness on his lips and dived to kiss him. She tasted herself on his mouth and wanted more. Clinging to his strong back with one arm, she reached for his flies, and swiftly unbuttoned his jeans.

More turned on and full of lust than she ever recalled feeling, Caitlin pushed against his chest and made him sit back, where she could reach his thick, hot, erection. Closing her eyes she brushed her lips up the length of his penis and, reaching the top, opened her mouth to slide her tongue around the head. She was gratified to hear his sigh of enjoyment and to feel his hand stroking her hair, as she slid her mouth over his penis and took it into her mouth. She pushed him as deep into her mouth as she could, sucking and licking with her tongue, and then slid her hand down to his testicles, which she cupped and stroked. Forcing herself to take him deeper and further into her mouth, she pushed his head against the back of her throat and drove herself up and down, following the rhythm of his hand on the back of her head, and pleased by the bunch of her hair that he gripped so tightly.

Suddenly he was pulling her upwards and it was his turn to thirst for her lips. They kissed and mingled the tastes of their pleasure and perspiration, and Mark pressed down deeply on her. She could feel his passion through the weight of his lips and his powerful grip on her arms. Then he pushed her back onto the rug, opened her legs and plunged himself into her warm depths. He fucked her with long hard thrusts, gripping her shoulders with hot hands and pinning her against the rug. Then with one hand he reached down again for her clit, and Caitlin felt the thrilling rush of orgasm shuddering through her. She urged him on with breathy moans and grasped his damp hair tightly. Finally she felt him speed up and heard his own moan as he came inside her. He collapsed onto her chest while she felt a wave of warmth spreading from her vagina, throbbing and gradually fading into exhausted calm.

They lay there entwined on the floor for several long minutes. Eyes closed, Caitlin listened to the spitting fire and tried to return her mind to reality, even as her body ached for more. But she knew she had to drag herself away – back to the party, before it finished and Louise wondered where she was.

***

It was a relief to be back out on the balcony, and she hoped that the blast of cold air would be enough to explain her flushed face and dishevelled hair. But her room-mate had barely noticed Caitlin's absence, and she was able to slip back in without a second glance from Louise. That night as she slept, she played over in her head the encounter upstairs, and the echoes of her orgasm lulled her softly to sleep.

The next morning, Louise was seriously hungover. Caitlin offered to go down to breakfast alone, and bring her back some toast and orange juice.

"Thanks babe," Louise managed. "Fab party, hey?"

"Oh yes," replied Caitlin. "Really good start to the holiday."

"It gets better," said Louise, drawing herself up on her elbows and peering through bloodshot eyes. "There's a surprise for you. Jon's here. Or at least, he's arriving today."

Caitlin's heart jumped guiltily. "Jon? As in, my boyfriend Jon?"

"Uh huh," said Louise, settling back under the duvet. "Isn't that so cool?"

In a slight daze, Caitlin made her way down to breakfast. She should be safe, she figured. No one knew about last night apart from her – and Mark, of course. She'd just have to avoid him, or at least, pretend nothing had happened. It would be fine.

She'd almost convinced herself that she'd be able to play it calm and collected, when she bumped into Mark going into the breakfast room.

"Hey," he said. "Sleep well?"

Caught unawareness and speechless for the moment, Caitlin nodded and followed him into the spacious room half full of diners.

"Where's your room-mate this morning?" Mark asked.

"Oh, she's hungover, still in bed."

"So would you like to join us, there's plenty of room at the table?"

The question of who "Us" meant faded on Caitlin's lips as Mark steered her towards the pristine breakfast table. His college friend was already there, and Caitlin's blood ran as cold as the snow on the ski-slopes outside.

"Meet my mate Jon," said Mark.