Unbroken (20 page)

Pulling into the drive at the Sun Valley Lodge the following week, Britney stepped from the Explorer and handed the valet her keys.  Moments later, she walked through the massive set of double doors and into the elegantly appointed front lobby. 

“Good morning
, Ma’am.  My name is Charlie.  How may I help you?” the handsome young man at the registration counter greeted her as she approached.

“
Hello. Reservations for Taylor,” she said.

He looked down as he typed the name on the computer keyboard
and then glanced up at the screen.  “Britney Taylor?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Alright, Ma’am.  I see here that you’ll be with us for three nights.”

Britney nodded. 

Charlie typed something into the computer.  “Let’s see.”  He paused for a moment.  “It looks like we have you staying on the fourth floor, adjoining, non-smoking rooms with king beds, numbers 418 and 420.”

“
Perfect.”  Although she and Jake would assuredly be sleeping together, she’d booked two rooms for the sake of appearances.

“
Okay then.  I’ll just need to see your driver’s license or other form of identification.”

She took her wallet out of her purse and handed him her Minnesota driver’s license.

He entered her license number into the computer and then handed her back the card, along with two plastic room keys.  “Would you like help with your luggage this morning?”

“No thank you.  I’ve got it.  She picked up the lightweight duffle bag and slung it over her shoulder,
and then grabbed the handle of the rolling suitcase.

“The elevator is
down that hall and to the right,” Charlie said, motioning to her left.  “Have a pleasant stay.”

Entering her room Britney dropped her bags and took a quick look around, pleased with the elegant furnishings and tasteful decor.  Walking to the window, she drew back the curtains and looked outside.  She could see the outdoor ice rink, which was closed for the summer season, and the indoor ice rink where she and Jake had taken Rachel and Ruby weeks earlier and where Jake was holding his camp, just beyond that.  As she now knew, it was only a short walk from the rear of the hotel to either rink.

She
and Jake had stopped by earlier to make sure that everything for the camp was in order, and while he’d stayed behind with his former teammates, Kevin Callahan and Eric Slater, he’d suggested that she go and get them checked into the hotel and then head back over to the rink when she was finished. 

Turning away from the window, she
retrieved her bag of toiletries from the suitcase and, taking it into the bathroom, set it onto the counter and quickly surveyed her appearance.  Removing her glasses, she checked to see that her hair, pulled back and secured with a large barrette at her nape, was still neat and tidy.  Seeing that it was, she slid the glasses back onto her nose and exited the bathroom.  Pocketing the two key cards, she grabbed her purse and left the room.  She wanted to get back to the rink before the kids started to arrive.

A little over an hour later Britney was seated
in the stands amongst some of the parents, looking on as Jake, Kevin and Eric interacted with the camp attendees, fifteen boys and three girls.  She’d liked both Kevin and Eric at once, and had learned earlier that Eric, married last February, was currently expecting his first child with his wife Jillian, while Kevin, the younger of the two, was still single at twenty-four.  Like Jake, they were both readily accepting of their positions as role models for the younger generation and were committed to the responsibility that entailed. 

A
s they passed out customized jerseys and equipment to each child, and then helped to lace up skates, adjust suspenders and buckle helmets, it was apparent that all three coaches were enjoying themselves immensely.

S
he watched then as the kids, all of varying skill levels took to the ice and then demonstrated their proficiency for the three coaches in a number of evaluation exercises.  After the assessments, they were then split up and placed into one of three groups.  It was easy to determine that Jake had taken the beginners, Kevin the intermediates, and Eric the more advanced skaters as each group moved to a different spot on the large sheet of ice.

For the next hour, the kids were guided through various skating drills, stick handling practices and numerous shooting and puck control exercises
by each of their coaches.  Britney loved watching Jake with the kids.  He was so good with them.  Of course she already knew that he was great with kids, having seen the way he’d behaved with Rachel and Ruby, but even so, this was different and it was delightful to see how natural and at ease he was with other children too.

Following a short break, the kids were rounded back up and split into two teams, half of them donning yellow, mesh pinnies over their jerseys and the other half donning red pinnies as they headed back onto the ice.  The ensuing matchup, with Jake serving as referee and Eric and Kevin goaltending, had the parents cheering from the stands as the two teams then went head to head.  After three ten-minute periods, the yellow team ultimately triumphed with a five to three victory over the red team.  Britney along with everyone else rose from her seat to applaud the efforts of both teams as they skated off the ice.

After Britney had made certain that everything was in order for the following day, she handed Jake his room key and told him that she would meet him back at the hotel.

Approximately forty-five minutes later, Britney heard movement coming from Jake’s room and shortly thereafter a soft knock
sounded upon the adjoining door.

“Come in.”

Opening the door to Britney’s room, Jake saw her sitting at the small writing desk, her laptop open in front of her.  “Hey, what are you working on?” he asked as he strolled into the room.

Britney sat back in
her chair.  “Nothing much.”

“So, what
did you think of the camp today?” Jake asked as he moved to rest his hip against the side of the desk.

“
Truthfully, I thought it was amazing.”

Jake grinned. 
“Yeah, I think the kids had a pretty good time.”

Britney smiled
back as she rose from her chair.  “Actually, I think the kids had a
great
time.”  She stepped toward him, draping her arms around his neck.  “And so did their parents.” 

Jake wrapped his hands around Britney’s waist, pulling her close.
  “Thanks for all of your help with everything.”

“You’re very welco
me,” she replied.  Stretching up onto her toes, she kissed him softly on the lips.

“The guys wanted me to thank you too,” he said when she pulled back. 

“Oh yeah, that was nice of them.”

“Honestly, Britney.  The first day of camp has never gone as smoothly as it did today.  They both think you’re pretty awesome. 
Of course
I
already knew that.”  Grinning, he bent his head and kissed
her
this time. 

But this time, instead of a brief thank you
smooch, their kiss quickly intensified into a far more passionate exchange, and within minutes there was a trail of discarded clothing leading to the bed.

As they tumbled naked onto the sheets,
Britney took control, pressing Jake onto his back as she straddled him with her thighs.  His body was hers to explore, and no matter how many times her hands and lips had traversed the breadth of his muscular frame, she never tired of it.  His body was incredible.  As she used her tongue to trace along the column of his throat, Jake moved his hands upward, his fingers delving into the hair at the back of her neck.  Lifting her head, she gazed into his hungry eyes for a moment and smiled.  Then ever so slowly she lowered her mouth to rain a trail of kisses along his chest, moving deliberately downward, inch by inch.

All of the muscles in Jake’s body tensed in anticipation as Britney leisurely made her way down
ward toward his throbbing erection.  When he felt her tongue swirl around the soft tip of his shaft, and then skim back and forth along its rigid length, he nearly came undone.  She hadn’t even taken him into her mouth yet and already he was about to explode. There was just something about Britney that affected him like no other woman ever had before, and it was both exhilarating and a little unnerving at the same time.  Regardless, if he didn’t take control right then, he knew he wasn’t going to last much longer.

He groaned aloud.  “If you don’t stop
, this is going to be over before it even begins,” he gasped.  Then, without giving her time to respond, he grasped her arms and hauled her upward along his torso.  Kissing her deeply, he rolled over, flipping Britney onto her back.  Then clasping both of her hands with one of his, he raised them above her head.  “My turn,” he said, gazing into her flushed face.  He moved his mouth to her earlobe then, nibbling softly as he settled above her.  Then, moving his lips leisurely along her jawline and then to the curve of her neck, he made his way unerringly downward until his mouth closed around one of her taut pink nipples.

As Britney
felt Jake’s other hand drift lower and lower, every nerve in her body was tingling with excitement and anticipation.  With her wrists still held within his grasp, she opened up to him, spreading her thighs willingly.  As his fingers skimmed her sex and then deftly parted her moist center and slipped inside, she arched against his hand, moaning softly, as his thumb grazed her sensitive nub. 
Oh, God.  If he kept that up she wasn’t going to last long either, and she didn’t want to journey to paradise alone. 
“Please, Jake, I need you inside of me,” she panted breathlessly, writhing beneath him, her arms tugging gently against his hold.  She wanted him.  She wanted him desperately.

Needing no further encouragement, Jake released Britney’s wrists
.  Dropping his hands to the sheet he held himself above her as he slid gently into her slick passage, joining their bodies together.

With her hands now free, Britney grasped his shoulders, her fingers pressing into his
warm skin as she lifted her legs, wantonly wrapping them around his waist to draw him closer.  She could tell that Jake was holding back, trying to slow things down and prolong her enjoyment, but she didn’t want him to slow down and she didn’t want to wait.  Not now, not when she was so mad for him that she could hardly think straight.  Shamelessly she murmured sexy, naughty little things into his ear, encouraging him to let go, to make love to her with complete abandon.

As Britney whispered
her lustful demands, urging him on, Jake finally allowed all of his restraint to slip away.  He plunged into her over and over again, hard and fast, strong and deep, filling her with every last inch of him.  It was sheer heaven.

Britney met Jake thrust for thrus
t, loving the fierce, sensual assault.  Throwing her head back against the pillow, she wanted to scream out her pleasure and satisfaction as he drove his entire length into her again and again, sending her closer and closer to the brink of ecstasy, until finally she went spiraling over the edge.

Feeling Britney tighten and convulse around him, Jake gave one last thrust before he too reached nirvana. 
He collapsed above her then, completely spent.

They lay motionless for a time, their labored b
reathing the only sound in the room as they remained intertwined, their bodies still joined together in the most intimate way possible.  Finally Jake rolled onto his back, pulling Britney with him so that she lay partially sprawled across his chest. 

Britney closed her eyes as she snuggled into him, content to listen to the rhythm of Jake’s heartbeat beneath her ear as she lay drowsy and utterly sated.

Jake however, found it surprisingly difficult to simply relax and enjoy the aftermath of their union, for his thoughts, like they had been for the past several days, were once again filled with unanswered questions, questions about his future with Britney.  They’d been skirting the issue, but he knew that they couldn’t continue to do so for much longer. 

“
Don’t forget, your reservations at the Pioneer are for six o’clock tonight,” Britney said after a while, glancing at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was already four forty-five.

“
Yeah, I guess I’d better jump in the shower.  I told the guys I’d meet them in the lobby at five-thirty,” Jake replied, twirling a lock of Britney’s hair lightly around his finger.  They needed to talk, but now wasn’t the time.  “Are you sure you don’t want to join us?”  He’d asked her earlier, but she’d declined.

“
Yes, I’m positive.  You three go and enjoy your boy’s night out.”  She propped herself up onto her elbow, smiling encouragingly.  “I’ll just relax here, order room service and watch a little TV.”

“Alright,
” he conceded, rising naked from the bed. 

As
Britney looked on, blatantly admiring Jake’s taut buttocks as he padded barefoot across the floor, picking up his discarded clothes as he made his way to his room, he turned and gave her one of those sexy little smiles that turned her bones to jelly.