Taken Under the Mistletoe: Riding Santa's Reindeer
It was a dream come true, this white winter wonderland.
This Christmas, I'd saved up all my bonuses for the year and my vacation time to be able to get out to Lapland and be near the true north pole. Ever since I was a young girl, Christmas had been my favourite time of the year. I loved how cozy the festivities were. Christmas markets, hot chocolate, candy canes, ice skating—everything was just so aesthetic and beautiful. It'd always been my mission to make it up to the north pole and visit Santa Claus village.
And finally, I was here. I surveyed the quaint little village, squealing with delight as I trudged through pristine white snow as high as my knees. Bundled up in all my coats, I felt warm and toasty despite the chilly temperatures. The cold air wrapped itself around my face, making me feel alive.
Luckily, I'd been able to find a couchsurfing host in this little village; otherwise, Christmas rates at even the most affordable hotels were well over $500 a person. The host even lived out in the woods, and boasted of having an igloo dome with transparent windows where you could see the glorious northern lights dancing above you. It was a dream come true, and I was so excited to try this sort of glamping experience, where I could sleep under the open sky but in complete warmth and comfort.
Deep into winter, on Christmas Eve, it was perpetually dark. I waited on the sidewalk by the visitor's centre, searching for my couchsurf host, who'd graciously said he'd pick me up from there. Several people lined the streets, shuffling around town, families with children laughing, shouting and crying.
Suddenly, out from the sidelines, a huge, burly man approached me. My eyes widened as I took in his height and breadth. He was a true man of the wilderness, towering well over me by at least a foot, with gigantic bushy eyebrows and the thickest beard I'd ever seen. He looked like a proper lumberjack, his broad shoulders looking as wide as a two-door refrigerator. Even through his layers of coats, I could tell he worked out in the woods; he looked like he could easily heft a log over his shoulder and not even break a sweat.
"Anatasia?" he called at me. I nodded, suddenly feeling a little nervous. This was my couchsurf host? He didn't really look anything like in the photos; or, maybe they just hadn't revealed his true height and build. This guy looked like he could throw me over his shoulders easily. I was suddenly acutely aware that by going with him tonight, I would be completely helpless in the middle of nowhere, very likely unable to defend myself if he decided to ax murder me in my sleep.
I gulped as he bundled me into a tight welcoming hug, squeezing me so tightly into his chest that I felt flattened like a pancake. "How are you? Hope your travels have been fine." He put me down like I weighed nothing at all, then easily scooped up my luggage and nodded for me to follow him to his truck. With no other choice than to follow him, I could only pray that everything would be alright tonight.
We made small talk as he drove us out of town, taking us through narrow winding roads to his cabin on the outskirts. I tried to memorize the directions, but everything was dark outside of the small village, so it was a hopeless endeavor. My nerves continued to get the best of me, even though he was perfectly amicable and gentlemanly the entire way. He pulled into his driveway and hopped out, easily bringing my luggage around his cabin to somewhere in the backyard. Slowly, I lowered myself from the high seats of his Tacoma.
My breath caught in my throat as I stared up at the open sky. Away from the bright lights of the cozy village, the dark night sky opened up and pressed down upon me, every little twinkling star looking like it was performing just for me. I wanted to tear up from its majestic beauty, feeling sentimental as I pondered how small and insignificant I really was in the grand scheme of the world. I felt amazingly grateful to be here, to be having this experience right now.
The thud of footsteps returning sounded to my right and I turned, still in awe of the unbounded nature around us, as my couchsurf host, Aapo, strode up to my side.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" he asked, his gaze never leaving mine.
My voice caught in my throat. I knew he was talking about the sky, but the way his gaze drilled into me... it
almost
sounded like he was referencing something else.
"Most definitely," I murmured back, averting my gaze. He gestured for me to go ahead towards my igloo cabin accommodation. I tried my best to trudge through the snow, to slide my boots into the very large dents in the snow he had created from his own footfalls, but it was slow-going and I was incredibly clumsy.
Without warning, Aapo scooped me up from behind, tossing me over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. I yelped, the world suddenly shifting upside down, as he made quick work through the snow, bringing us to the igloo dome within a minute despite the distance. The entire time I bounced about on his shoulder, his hand felt much too large and hot on the backs of my thighs, creeping almost uncomfortably close to my ass. He flirted with danger, skirting close to the edge all the time.
Finally, he let me slip down him at the entrance to the igloo dome. I felt rattled by the unexpected ride, and had to grip his shoulders as I got used to being on my feet again; the head rush was strong. In the darkness, I just about caught a tiny smirk dancing on his lips.
"Home sweet home for ya," he said in his gruff Finnish accent, pushing the door open for me. I gave him an awkward smile before going in.
And then gasping as I took in my accommodation for the night. Oh, it was gorgeous, exactly like you'd picture in the magazines. There was a huge king-sized bed in the middle of the room, complete with lush carpets, bear-shaped rugs and the comfiest, softest throw pillows I could have dreamed of. A fireplace crackled to the side, its flames popping and dancing.
I couldn't believe I was getting all of this for free... Aapo could easily have rented out this space tonight of all nights, earning himself half a grand. My glee was suddenly tempered by the drop in my stomach, realizing that perhaps it was too good to be true, that there was some kind of hidden price to pay. Plastering a smile back on my face as well as I could, I whirled back around, startled to see how close he was standing behind me.
"It's gorgeous!" I exclaimed, gesturing at the room. "Just perfect!"
"Yes, it is," Aapo said again, staring so intensely into my eyes that it felt like we were having a conversation about different things again. I swallowed softly, and his gaze dipped to follow the movement in my throat.
"I'll let you get settled in," he said abruptly, already beginning to turn away. Relief swelled in my chest as I realized he didn't expect me to socialize with him. Things would have gotten awkward and I would likely have had to fake our social exchange. I felt like I was totally taking advantage of him for free accommodation at this point, but what could I do? I was already here, and it was too comfortable to leave, and everywhere else was out of my price range and full.
"Get comfortable!" he called again behind his back as he exited my little igloo, closing the door behind him. I couldn't believe my luck. Like a little girl, I squealed, beginning to peel my layers off me. I felt buried under them like a damn onion. I peeked into the bathroom, my jaw dropping as I appreciated the sprawling bathtub. I was in heaven.
It'd been a while since I'd taken a break from working at the dental clinic. I spent the rest of the night luxuriating in a hot bath until my fingers and toes were absolutely wrinkly. Then, I wrapped myself in the ridiculously soft towels on the sink counter and padded back into the igloo. I dimmed the lights, marveling at just how clearly I could see the night sky through the glass dome. Luckily there was nobody else around us to see straight back into my dome. I felt vaguely like a fish in a bowl, exposed for anyone to stare at if they knew where to find me. Nevertheless, feeling slightly frisky, I dropped my towel in full view of the dark forest surrounding me, and slipped into my comfiest set of little PJs, just a pair of shorts and figure-hugging tank top. I settled into one of the big armchairs and pulled a blanket over me, feeling completely relaxed and rested.
The hours passed without interruption, and I almost dozed off a few times from how tranquil and quiet it was. At some point, I got up to have a drink of water and sing some Christmas carols like a corny romantic. I padded over to the door, thinking I might get a bit of fresh air and stare out at the night sky without a glass barrier between us.
