Page 16

Veronica

Cut Loose a Little

S kiing with Tanner has always been intense. Collin and I know practically every square inch of this mountain. But with Tanner, it’s like the mountain and him are one. At first, it might feel like he has a severe case of squirrel brain. He skis powerfully, almost violently, but can stop at a moments notice to suddenly change course, flashing a glance back at you over his shoulder to make sure you’re still with him before he drops down into a chute or trees on the side of the run.

It’s not indecision or forgetfulness, but instead an eery sixth sense that runs through him, the mountain talking to him, his mind taking in the weather, the wind, the sun exposure. All of it guiding him to hidden stashes of fresh snow or untracked lines still waiting to be skied, like a wolf hunting its prey. Animalistic and raw. Once you learn to read his body language and anticipate his turns and stops, it’s utterly thrilling and heart pounding. I’ve always appreciated the way he skied because he’s just so good .

But now the thoughts of that kiss last night and the spark at his touch this morning are racing through my mind, and it’s… It’s fucking hot.

He’s completely going for it on the slopes and we’re just tagging along for the ride only knowing the destination is going to be worth it. I’ve always enjoyed it, the feeling of letting someone else, someone you trust, be in control. Not having to think about what’s next, just living in the moment. But now, it’s him and all I want to do is keep up with him, watch him, and chase that spark from last night.

After letting Tanner play guide for the morning, we head back towards the base of the mountain. Lizzy wants to opt for a long, mellow groomer run to take a gondola back up to the mid-mountain restaurant for an early lunch.

Unsurprisingly, a very hungover Collin and gondola-virgin Lizzy are a hot mess trying to load onto a gondola today. While Tanner and I manage to get our skis in the rack and settle onto the benches, Collin and Lizzy are still bumbling and fumbling around as the doors to our car close and we’re whisked away up the mountain. We can’t help but laugh as Collin and Lizzy end up on the car following ours.

A few seconds pass and then I realize he’s stopped laughing. I look over, his hooded gaze already waiting for me. It’s just the two of us, alone, in the small gondola. I guess I’m going to get the moment alone with him I was thinking about earlier. The one I’ve been both dreading, yet craving since last night. Well obviously my body wanted it if this morning was any clue. But what’s happening here? Are we going to talk about it or just pretend like it didn’t happen? Either way, after that kiss last night, fuck that damn kiss, I’m now alone, face to face with Tanner. I can feel Horny Veronica inside me start to wake up again from this morning.

Tanner can sense it too. At least I think so? He’s always been so hard to read in the past.

He’s already taken off his gloves and helmet, setting them neatly on the bench beside him. He leans across the gondola car and gives me a sweet, delicate, slow kiss.

My heart flutters and my eyes close. His hand cups my cheek, his thumb running over my lower lip. The feeling of his touch kicks the embers of the fire he lit in me from the night before, sending sparks flying inside me. My own skin feels like it’s burning now, matching his. But he starts to pull his head away and it’s torture. All of it is just enough to leave me needing more as my head leans forward trying to follow his.

“Tanner. About last night. It was-.” I try to find the words for all of this, but he’s already one step ahead of me.

“I’m glad I’m not the only one that was thinking about last night,” he says, that deep and confident but hushed tone sending shivers through me. He’s sporting a devilish grin and those dimples peer through his beard. “It really is good to see you .”

God those dimples aren’t fair.

“No. I definitely thought about it. But why did you just stop and leave?” I can barely keep eye contact with him, the lust in his eyes palpable and cutting right into me.

His grin turns almost feral. “Because with the way you were grinding into me last night, the way your hands were roaming over me, there was no way I was going to be able to stop. And I wanted to do so many things with you last night.”

My mouth goes dry, thinking back to how good it felt to run my hands over his body. “Oh yeah? What did you want to do first?”

He hums with amusement through his grin. “Well, I could tell you. Or since we’re alone now, I could give you a little tease. Because I think you and I both wanted more last night. And I think you really need to start enjoying your trip. Cut loose a little. So maybe I can help with that, help you relax and have some fun, if you’ll let me.”

I feel a growing want between my legs, the sensation from this morning is back in full force, raging in me. He slowly lowers himself on to his knees in the gondola, his hands running up my thighs.

Is he… is he going to unbutton my pants? I can barely process what’s happening.

“Tanner?” I say with a muted voice as I exhale deeply, trying to catch my breath.

Really, is this actually happening? As if I wasn’t stressed enough about life, now I have this sexy man I’ve known most of my life trying to go down on me in a gondola. I mean fuck, he’s hot and I want it. But really?! This, here, and now ? My anxiety skyrockets as my mind races.

Now I have a new internal struggle. Practical Veronica and Horny Veronica who have very competing needs.

“Tanner. There’s no way. You’re insane! This is barely a ten minute lift ride. We canno-.” Before I can finish that sentence he looks into my eyes, cutting right through my layers and layers of stress and doubt. He puts his finger up to my lips and gestures shhhh .

“It’s going to be ok, Ronni. Don’t you trust me?” His confidence is there as always, but something is different. Something more serious, no, lustful , is behind his eyes now. Shit. Those beautiful green eyes. How have I never noticed them before? Something about them grounds me, pulling away the curtains of anxiety clouding my mind.

Back to the moment. Focus, V. Yes, I do trust him. I’ve known Tanner for years and for as silly and unserious as he can be, he was always reliable. But this ?

“Yes, I do but this is-,” I start to say before he cuts me off again.

“Then can I?” He asks looking into my eyes then back down between my legs and back at me raising his eyebrows, letting his eyes finish his question.

Fuck. There’s that look in those eyes again.

My mind goes back to the thought of skiing just mere moments ago, trusting this man with our lives leading us across the mountain. Looking into his eyes now, it’s like he’s pouring his own confidence into me, sharing as much of it as I need.

After all, I did wake up fingering my clit, my pussy soaking wet this morning just at the thought of those abs and that kiss . Fuck it. Maybe he’s right and I do deserve to feel good and relax for once.

“Ok, Tanner. Yes.”

By the time the last syllable escapes my mouth he already has my pants and base layers down to my ski boots. There isn’t enough time to take off everything and get my ski boots off. He pulls me to the edge of the gondola bench, effortlessly throws my legs over his head with those strong, muscular, sculpted from granite arms. His face is lost in between my legs.

Thank god I remembered to get a wax before we came. I was thinking we might end up in a hot tub for a night or two, but I definitely wasn’t anticipating this scenario.

First, he just kisses my body, right above my aching clit, which now desperately wants to feel his tongue. As if he was in my head, his next kiss lands squarely on my swollen pleasure spot. That little bit of touch is enough to make my legs and pussy clench. I moan desperately, not having been touched like this in ages. He doesn’t pull away after his next kiss, instead letting his tongue start to work on me.

“Oh god. Please don’t fucking stop.” I’m practically panting now, squirming, wanting more as he runs his tongue back and forth over my clit.

“I wasn’t planning on it,” he says with a quick laugh and what I assume would be that ever present grin. If I could actually see his mouth that is. But he already has it back to work as I look down at him, only able to see his shaggy messy golden brown hair. I run my fingers through his tousled locks and he lets out a small moan of approval. I can feel the sound reverberating in my clit. The feeling of his scruffy beard between my legs only adds to the overwhelming sensations coursing through me.

His mouth is wide open, his lips pressed firmly against my wetness, all of it. His tongue dances back and forth slowly, tauntingly from my clit to the outer edges of my pussy, teasing both just enough to bring me closer to the release I was craving this morning, but also leaving me wanting more. So much more.

God this is really happening. It’s been so long since I’ve been touched by someone other than myself and now I’m watching this insanely built, gorgeous man on his knees for me .

Just as the thought of wanting more entered my mind, I realize his strong hands are in motion. It’s like he’s slipped himself into my mind, reading my thoughts. His left hand works its way under my jacket and long sleeve wool shirt, stopping when he reaches my unlined sports bra. His hand rests over my breast, cupping it while his fingers teases my hard bud through the fabric of the sports bra.

Before I could even acknowledge him, he’s already started again. He manages to slide his hand under my bra and now I feel his scorching skin against my breast as he teases my hard nipple even more with a slight tug.

“Fuck,” he murmurs as he comes up for a moment of air, “your tits feel even more amazing than I imagined.”

With one hand teasing my nipple, the tip of his tongue is now focused solely on my desperately aching clit. I let out a loud moan, grateful that no one can see us or hear us through the tinted windows, the nearest car at least a hundred feet in either direction.

“God, Tanner. Yes. Your tongue. It’s. So. Good.” I can barely get the words out, practically stuttering. I feel just how eager he is with his spit running down from his tongue through my slit to my already wet pussy.

“Shit,” I moan, barely able to think, grabbing his hair and pulling him harder against me. “You’re going to make me come if you kee-,” I start to say before I feel a new sensation.

Tanner now gently starts to tease my dripping wet pussy with a finger. First, he touches the inner lips of my pussy with just his fingertip, all the while his tongue continues to push me closer and closer, flicking up and down my clit. He slides his finger in me further before firmly, gently curling it in a come hither motion on my inner walls.

For a brief moment my thoughts are broken by an interloping sound, the whirring of the car passing a lift tower.

Shit. How much longer do we have? Are we going to be able to-?

My thoughts are taken right back to the beautiful, skillfully tongued man between my legs eating me out like he’s been starving for my body.

“Fuck,” I moan as he gently works another finger inside me, filling and stretching me even more. I can feel his strong hands work his fingers up to his palm, his last knuckles teasing the edges of my opening. This whole time his tongue hasn’t stopped and I feel a sense of tension come over my body, the kind that comes right before…

Oh my god, yes. I’m getting close. So fucking close.

“Tanner...,” I whimper. “Please. I want to come.” I’m so ready for this. It feels so good. My body keeps tensing and coiling up, ready to let go.

“Good. I want you to come so bad. Please. Come for me,” he says, his words muffled by my own wetness still in his mouth.

I thrust myself further into his mouth as I lace my fingers into his hair and pull it, pressing his face into my body. I hear a moan come from his mouth, as I push myself against him harder, rocking my hips forward. His moan is one of the hottest things I’ve ever heard and it’s enough to almost push me over the edge.

“It feels so good.” He gently sucks on my clit while flicking his tongue across it even faster while his strong, thick fingers still massage the inner depths of my pussy. I shudder, squeezing his head between my thighs to keep him exactly where I need him.

My body starts to shake as I come. Desperate to hold on to something, anything, I run my hands back through his hair, grabbing tightly.

“Oh. Fuck. Yes.” I moan as I feel a world of stress leave me, my body still shaking, and a wave of heat comes over me. I arch against the gondola bench.

I look around me, my vision blurred, but I still manage to take in the views from the lightly tinted gondola, admiring the mountains surrounding us, while the wave of euphoria takes hold of me and I ride out the orgasm.

When was the last time I came like that? Have I ever even come like that?

While I’m reveling in the feelings running through me, Tanner ever so casually sits up with a look of pure satisfaction on his face. He leans over, giving me a quick kiss on the lips. He leans back down, helping me pull my pants up, kissing my thighs before they’re covered and buttons me, tucking my shirt back into them.

“Tanner… that was… something .”

The words feel like they’re coming from someone else, like I’m floating here in the gondola watching the whole scene, still in disbelief that it really just happened. My heart is pounding. My head is a frazzled mess of racing thoughts and emotions.

“You’re welcome. Now, can you start enjoying your trip? You aren’t in town often enough and I like seeing that smile,” he says with his usual grin as he looks up, wiping off a bit of sweat, spit, and maybe even some of my arousal that are all glistening in his scruff and mustache. He sits back down on the bench opposite me in the gondola, grabbing his gloves and helmet.

Suddenly there’s the louder, telltale clanging and whirring noise and I realize we are pulling into the upper gondola station to unload.

“Holy shit, Tanner. You are insane! We had what, maybe an extra forty seconds? We could have been seen. Were you even paying attention to where we were?”

He looks at me with his usual grin back on his face, and winks before shrugging his shoulders.

“I wasn’t worried. We’re fifty plus feet above the slopes, the windows are sort of tinted, and the nearest people are in the cars way ahead of us and behind us. Besides, I knew you were going to finish on time.”

I feel my jaw drop. This fucking man. Is there anything that shakes that confidence or makes him worry?

Just as we reach the upper gondola station, he reaches a hand to help me start getting out of the car.

Oh no. My legs are completely jello. I could maybe walk if I wasn’t wearing heavy ski boots, but now I’m riding the struggle bus.

“Don’t worry. You got this,” he says, as if he knew what I was thinking. As the door opens, I stumble off the gondola like a baby deer. He catches me and still manages to grab my skis from the rack on the door. A world of emotions and physical euphoria are taking over me now, just as we see Collin and Lizzy’s gondola car arriving.

“Alright. Let’s act normal. We gotta have lunch with your brother and Lizzy.” He looks over at me, giving me a little upward flick of his eyebrows, before the calm and cool expression takes back over his face. Just casual as can be.

What. The. Fuck?