"Why didn't I just stick to the beach?" I asked myself as I stared down the slope. They called it the bunny slope but, to me, it looked like I was gazing down from the summit of Mount Everest. I had decided to give myself an early Christmas present and take a vacation. It had been a toss up between a ski resort or the white sands of Jamaica with skiing winning out because my sisters convinced me to try new things. That's how I found myself in Arendelle, Colorado trying to balance on a pair of skis, my legs wobbling like I was two and just learning how to walk.
"First time, huh?" A feminine voice startled me from behind. I jumped a little and turned to look, finding myself peering into the big, blue eyes of a beautiful blonde. She had delicate Nordic features and a gorgeous smile, which she was now flashing at me. I blushed a little and turned away, a little disconcerted from her sudden appearance.
"Um...yeah." I stammered, trying to find my voice. "That obvious?"
"Well, you do kind of look like a fish out of water." she replied. "Tell you what. You make it down the hill and I will buy you lunch, okay?" Without even waiting for a reply, she pushed off and skied down the slope, effortlessly gliding down and ending her run with a cloud of snow. I watched her ski, marveling at the way she moved in the thin snowsuit she wore. Here I was, freezing my tail off, dressed like the next ice age was just around the corner, trying my best to just find enough courage to try make it down a simple little slope. Determination filled me at that moment. I'd be dipped if I was going to show fear to this lady. Pushing off, I slowly made my way down the hill. Truthfully, I actually did pretty good. Right up to the point when I tried to stop. That's when my skis got tangled up and I face planted right into the snow, landing at her feet.
"Okay, well, you made it down at least." the blonde said as she helped me up. She helped brush the snow off of me while giving me a few pointers on my technique.
"You often cruise the bunny slope, looking for hapless newbies to teach?" I asked her as we trudged back up the hill.
"Of course. It's the best way to pick up dates." She laughed out loud at my expression as I turned my head to stare at her incredulously at that statement. "Name's Elsa, by the way." She offered her hand and I grasped it, shaking it a little too enthusiastically. "And you are...?"
"Oh...yeah. Sorry. I'm Ariel."
"Ariel. Hmmm...I like it. Pretty." I felt heat rising to my cheeks as she peered intently at me with her icy blue eyes. "Well Ariel, why don't you and I go have lunch and then maybe we can hit the slopes again afterwards. By the time I'm done with you, you'll never want to leave." I smiled at her remark and began to walk with her to the lodge. A blast of cold air flowed from the mountains at that moment, causing me to shiver. Elsa acted like she didn't even notice.
"God, aren't you freezing?" I asked her as we started walking up the stairs to the front door.
"Nah. The cold doesn't bother me." Elsa answered as she held the door open for me. The heat from the large fireplace hit me flush in the face as I walked in. Looking around, I noticed that the place was packed. I turned back around just to watch Elsa removing her jacket. Once again, I was at a loss for words. The shirt that she wore underneath hugged her body tightly, revealing her lithe figure and showcasing her small but well formed breasts, her nipples poking out proudly. "Hurry up, slow poke!" she said, a smile on her face. I shook myself mentally, undoing my jacket and removing my toboggan from my head, letting my long hair flow down my back. "Ooooooh...you have such lovely red hair!" Elsa said softly. Her hand seemed to move on it's own as if to stroke my head but she instead took my jacket from me to hang it on the hook besides hers. Again, I looked around.
"Looks like we are going to have a bit of a wait." I said. Elsa smiled at that statement and gave me a wink. With a beckoning finger, she began to walk to a set of stairs in the back. I followed behind, noticing that I wasn't the only one that appreciated her figure. The velveteen rope that was strung across the entrance proved no obstacle for her as she undid the lock and just started walking up. I quickly ascended the stairs, wondering now just who in the world this woman was to so confidently go wherever she pleased. I was greeted to the sight of a private table set for two with a large bay window showcasing an amazing view of the surrounding mountainside. The table was decorated with one blue and one white candle and the dΓ©cor gave me the impression of an intimate dining room that would be in found in a house, not in a lodge restaurant.
Elsa walked over to the table and pulled a chair out, motioning me to have a seat. I blushed a bit and demurely gave my thanks as she pushed it in. She took her seat opposite mine and pushed a button that was on the wall. Finally, I couldn't take it any longer. "Um...come here often?" I asked, trying hard not to sound too invested.
Elsa gave a laugh before answering. "You could say I've been coming here all my life." Before she could elaborate further, a distinguished looking gentleman came and provided us menus along with a bottle of white wine. He nodded when she thanked him and left us alone to go stand in the corner of the room, awaiting the time to be summoned. "I highly recommend the crab stuffed flounder. The cook Sebastian does such a wonderful job preparing it." I glanced at the menu but decided to go with Elsa's suggestion since I loved seafood. After Elsa summoned the waiter and ordered for both of us, she poured me a glass of wine and took a sip of her own glass, looking at me intently. I could feel her eyes traveling up and down my body but instead of feeling self conscious of such intimate scrutiny as I normally would, I actually felt kind of honored by it. Like I was worth her time.
"All your life?" I finally asked after a pregnant pause.
"Well, considering that I am the forth generation to own this, yeah, all of my life." She giggled at the shocked expression that I couldn't hide.
"You are the owner of this lodge?" I asked a little breathlessly.
"No, I am the owner of the whole resort and surrounding town. Welcome to my kingdom." she replied as she gestured with her arm to the view outside the window. "Well, technically, it's mine and my sister Anna's but she's exploring the world, trying desperately to find herself or some such nonsense. Probably come home with some asshole that she wants to marry." Elsa tried to hide the bitterness in her voice but I could tell that she was not happy with her Anna's activities.
"Trust me, I know about sister issues." I said before taking another sip of wine. Elsa's eyebrow arched in a silent question, prompting me to continue.