A Slippery Slope (17 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Josh
couldn’t speak when he saw Verity and her dress. Neither could Etienne, for
that matter, although as Lucy had dressed up too, Etienne’s attention quickly
turned to her and he let out the longest, loudest wolf whistle she had ever
heard.

‘Shit, Lucy,’ he said. ‘You and your mum make all the other women
here look like uglies. I thought you both looked pretty hot last night but now
....’ He whistled again. ‘They look incredible, don’t they, Josh?’

Josh still couldn’t speak and neither could he close his mouth, it
seemed or stop his eyes from travelling up and down Verity’s body. He tried to
pull himself together but all his blood vessels felt as if they were moving in
accompaniment to some rap song and his heart was thumping to the same beat as
were his pulse and his lungs. His legs felt weak and he blinked several times
but all he could see was Verity; everything else appeared to be out of focus.
He wondered if he were having some sort of a transient ischaemic attack: a TIA
or mini stroke as they’re known but he lifted his arm and ran his hand through
his hair to make sure that wasn’t the case.

‘Perhaps I should have worn the T-shirt after all,’ Verity
quipped.

He could see she was blushing furiously under his intense scrutiny
but she smiled up at him and met his eyes – when he could stop them from
frantically scanning her body.

‘I thought that
was
a T-shirt,’ he finally managed to say.
‘I don’t think there’s enough of it to count as a dress!’

He realised too late that it sounded as if he were chastising her
when in fact, he should be thanking her. It had been a very long time since
he’d feasted his eyes on anyone quite as stunningly beautiful as Verity. And
even longer since he’d seen anyone who had made him feel like this. She oozed
sex appeal; and that’s exactly what was appealing to every inch of him right
now.

‘Oh! Don’t ... don’t you like it?’ she asked, lowering her head
towards the exposed flesh of her décolletage and her bare shoulders.

He could see she was disappointed.

‘You are joking?’ he said. ‘A man would have to be dead not to
like it. You look breathtaking. You certainly took my breath away. I thought I
was having a heart attack!’

She brightened visibly. ‘And I’m wearing the bracelet.’ She held
out her arm and wrist towards him.

He could smell her perfume and his head swam. The caveman instinct
was alive and well: he could attest to that beyond any doubt because all he
could think of right now was dragging Verity back to his chalet and spending
the next few days showing her just how much he liked her dress. Or more
precisely, how much he liked what was inside it.

‘So I see,’ he said, running his hand through his hair.

She cocked her head to one side. ‘You do that a lot you know. Run
your hand through your hair.’

He was surprised. ‘Do I? I hadn’t noticed. Sorry.’

‘No! Don’t be sorry. I like it. To tell you the truth, I ... I’ve
been wondering what it would feel like.’

He was finding it difficult to swallow. ‘What! What
what
would feel like?’

She reached up and her hand hovered just in front of his temple.
He sucked in a breath and found he couldn’t let it out.

‘Your hair,’ she said in a far more sultry tone than she usually
used. ‘It looks very soft and lustrous but I wonder if it’ll be rough ... to
the touch. May I?’

He almost choked but before he could answer, she brushed his
temple with her hand and slowly slid it in his hair. Using the tips of her
red-painted nails followed by the soft pads of her fingers, she traced a path
along one side of his head and round and down to the nape of his neck.

He felt as if he were a puppet that had been shut away in a box,
suddenly brought to life by her teasing fingers as she gathered up each nerve
and made every inch of his body respond to her touch. Sex messages flew to his
groin and his brain struggled to retain control.

‘Verity,’ he said on a sigh.

‘Sorry.’ She quickly pulled her hand away.

It was as if she had released him from a spell and he glanced
around, noticed that Etienne and Lucy were nowhere in sight but that one or two
other people were looking in his direction. He coughed lightly and smiled at
them before grabbing Verity, a little roughly he realised, and almost dragging
her into Louis’ study nearby. He closed the door behind them and leant firmly
against it.

She spun around and he saw fear in her incredibly blue eyes.

‘Would you mind telling me what’s going on?’ he asked. ‘I may be
wrong but it felt very much like you were seducing me out there, but by the
look on your face now, it’s clear you don’t intend to follow through.’

‘I ... I wasn’t trying to seduce you!’ she said, looking like a
rabbit caught in the headlights. ‘I just wondered what your hair felt like,
that’s all – and you do do that a lot, you know. Run your hands through it, I
mean.’

‘So you said. And believe me, Verity, you weren’t
trying
to
seduce me. You had me. Hook line and sinker. So I’ll ask again. What’s going
on?’

‘I just wanted to be ... friendly ... and to thank you for the
bracelet, that’s all – and for taking Mistral, and all the other nice things
you’ve done for me since I’ve been here.’

He studied her face. She was lying, he could tell. ‘Yeah, right.
I’m such a great guy. Are you going to tell me the truth or are we playing some
sort of game? Ah! Is this another of your Christmas party games? Let’s drive
Josh mad with sexual desire and then walk away and leave him frustrated? Or was
this to repay me for that kiss – and for flirting with you earlier. I’m not
quite sure what I’ve done to deserve that. But fair’s fair.’

He pushed himself away from the door and took a step towards her.
She backed away. This could be fun, he thought. He took several more steps and
she matched each one with a retreating step until she had retreated right up
against Louis’ massive oak desk.

She turned and glanced at it and her eyes shot to his face.

‘Dead end,’ he said, grinning at her. ‘Now, I’ve been wondering
what it would feel like to run my hands through your hair but I don’t want to
spoil it, so ... perhaps I could run my hands somewhere else instead.’

He slid one arm around her waist and pulled her towards him. He
could feel that he’d actually lifted her off the ground and he held her firmly
against his body.

‘Josh!’ she squealed. ‘Please! Put me down.’

‘Certainly.’

He lifted her onto the desk and as she was forced to sit, her
already short dress crept further up her legs until almost her entire thigh was
exposed. She struggled to get down but he blocked her way.

‘This isn’t funny,’ she said. ‘I’ll scream.’

‘Scream all you like. This room is soundproofed. The chalet’s
original owner was a rock musician and this was one of the studios.’

She looked terrified. He thought he should stop but something
about her egged him on.

‘So,’ he said, tracing a line along her shoulder with his
forefinger and moving down her arm and back up again. ‘What shall I ... run my
hands over?’ He let his eyes linger on her breasts.

She straightened her back but leant away from him at the same
time, as far as his restraining arm around her waist would let her.

‘Nothing!’ she hissed. ‘I mean it, Josh. Stop this. Stop this now.
Oh!’

He felt her shudder as his fingers brushed her leg and he ran his
hand up her thigh. His hand tightened on her waist and he moved his body closer
to her.

‘Josh, please!’

‘Tell me what’s going on then!’ he said, looking directly into her
troubled eyes. ‘I was beginning to hope that you were interested in me but even
I couldn’t have wished for the sudden increase in ... enthusiasm you showed
tonight. Tell me the truth, Verity.’ He pulled her back towards him and moved
his lips to just a fraction away from her ear, whispering into it. ‘Is this
some sort of game you’re playing because I’m deadly serious. I know we hardly
know each other but I want you more than you can possibly imagine and it’s
taking every ounce of self restraint not to kiss you – amongst other things –
right now.’

He heard her gasp and suddenly, unexpectedly, she raised her hands
to his chest and pushed him with all her strength. He stumbled back just a
fraction but it was enough to allow her to slip from the desk and dash around
behind it.

‘Surely you have rules about not getting involved with your chalet
girls, don’t you? You have rules for everything else,’ she hissed.

He couldn’t understand where this venom had come from because
venom it definitely was.

‘I’m sorry. I ... I didn’t mean to upset you. I was teasing you. Just
like you were teasing me just now. Although I don’t think you quite appreciate
what you did to me out there. I wanted to ... well, we both know what I wanted
to do – and I’ve never felt like that about anyone. Then you go all coy and
play the innocent. Why? What have I done to deserve this? Was it because of
earlier? I didn’t think you minded.’

‘Well, I do. It seems to me that you think you can just do
whatever you like where your chalet girls are concerned. I was just giving you
a taste of your own medicine.’

He felt as if she’d hit him in the chest and winded him.

‘I’m sorry. Truly I am. I really thought you were beginning to
like me.’

‘Don’t you mean that you thought I might soon be another notch on
your bedpost? Sorry to disappoint you.’

He couldn’t understand what was happening. ‘Verity, I’m lost. I
thought we were friends and ... well to be honest yes, I did think that ...
something might happen between us. But I can assure you there are no notches on
my bedpost – or anywhere else for that matter and I don’t know why you would
think there are.’

‘Really? Are you telling me I’m the first chalet girl that you’ve
... tried to get into bed?’

‘What? I don’t understand. I ...’ A thought suddenly occurred to
him. ‘Has someone told you something?’

‘Very little actually but I’m not, am I? The first I mean?’

He let out a deep sigh. ‘I’d rather not have this conversation
right now, but I’ll be perfectly honest. No, you wouldn’t be the first chalet
girl I’ve slept with – or wanted to in your case – but I don’t see what being a
chalet girl has to do with it.’

‘How many?’

‘What? Why does it matter? They’re in the past. The only person
I’m interested in is you. Surely you can see that?’

‘They? So there was definitely more than one?’

She gave him a look of contempt and he felt his backbone stiffen.
Was she the type of woman who judged a man on the number of women he’d slept
with? If so, he was possibly fighting a losing battle – although there hadn’t
been that many.

‘There have been a few,’ he said honestly. ‘Look, Verity, I’m
forty-two years-old and I’m no saint. I’ve slept with a few women.’ He did what
even he was beginning to realise was a habit, and ran his hand through his
hair. ‘Some have meant more to me than others but I really like you. I know
you’re feeling vulnerable at the moment and it’s probably far too soon for you
to even think about getting involved with anyone else after your husband but I
... I think we could be good for one another.’

‘I bet you do. But I’m not so sure that you would be good for me.’

She met his eyes and he saw determination there. And possibly a
hint of disappointment.

He nodded. ‘I’m sorry you feel like that. Perhaps we just need
time. I can give you that.’

Her eyes flashed and she tilted her chin up. ‘You told me that if
I wanted you to leave me alone I only had to say so. Did you mean it?’

He ran a hand through his hair again. ‘Y …yes. I meant it.
Although it’ll be very difficult I’ll admit. Especially now.’

‘Then please leave me alone. Starting from right this second.’

If she had slapped his face she couldn’t have stung him more. He
swallowed what felt like a lump of poisoned ice and yet his chest burned. He
felt as if some ghostly apparition had just sucked the breath out of him. He
took a final look in her direction but the vision of her fried his brain and he
turned and left the room without saying another word.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Verity
collapsed onto Louis’ chair. Her breath came in short sharp gasps. She was
having palpitations. She thought her heart had broken when she found Tony with
Daniella, and it felt as if the same thing had just happened with Josh. She
wanted him so badly but she couldn’t have him. One lying, cheating bastard was
enough. She wasn’t going to fall head over heels in love with someone who had
sex with every chalet girl who crossed his threshold.

‘There you are, Mum!’ Lucy’s voice brought Verity back from her
depressing thoughts.

‘You won’t believe it, Lucy! Josh just showed me his true colours
after I flirted with him, by dragging me in here and ... and ... trying to
seduce me! And he admitted that he sleeps with all his chalets girls. I’m just
surprised he picked me and not you! He probably thought I’d be gagging for it
and I’d be an easy lay and–’

‘What? You’re right, I don’t believe it!’ Lucy interrupted.

‘But he admitted it!’

‘What did he say exactly? Because I’ve just asked Etienne about it
and I think I’ve made a big mistake.’

‘A ... mistake? Well. I asked if I was the first chalet girl he’s
tried to get into bed and he said there’ve been a few. That clearly means
several! You were right about that.’

 Lucy frowned. ‘I told Etienne what Jo had said and that I was
concerned. I explained that I thought Josh liked you and I didn’t want you to
get hurt. Etienne says that since Josh opened his first chalet here more than
sixteen years ago Josh has only dated about eleven women – he counted them just
now – and eleven women really isn’t a lot. Most of the men I know date that
amount in one year!’

‘It seems like a lot to me, darling. But then I’ve only slept with
one man, and that’s your father. I’m beginning to feel I’ve missed out! But
isn’t that almost one chalet girl for every season – give or take a few years.
He did say that his staff usually came back so perhaps there were some ...
repeat performances.’

‘No. Because Etienne says only five of them were chalet girls as
far as he recalls and only one of those actually worked for Josh. The other
four were just out here working and Josh met them in the usual way. Bars,
parties, the ski slopes. The other women were nothing to do with the chalet
business, although one did work for the tourist office and that lasted a couple
of years apparently. I don’t think dating five chalet girls out of eleven women
in sixteen years, makes him a serial chalet girl dater. Especially as he does
live in a ski resort.’

‘Surely Etienne was still living in Kent with his mum sixteen
years ago? Josh could have dated more than Etienne knows.’

‘No. He moved out here to live with his dad when he was thirteen.
His mum remarried and Etienne wanted to come and live with Louis, so he did.
Louis owned a couple of chalets in those days and Josh bought one from him the
following year. That’s how they all met and they became good friends from the
word go.’

‘How odd! A fourteen-year-old, his father and however old Josh was
at the time. I’m guessing around the mid-twenties.’

‘Etienne told me just after we got here that he and Josh are more
like brothers than friends. He said they’ve got a lot in common and they just
gelled from day one. Oh ... and I don’t know all the details about the girl who
worked for Josh – the last girl – because Etienne says it’s a long story and
one that really Josh should tell us if he wants to, not Etienne. He did say the
same as Jo did though. That Josh ended the relationship and the girl went
berserk and wrecked the chalet. So anyway ... that’s a relief, isn’t it? And
I’m sorry that I made a mistake and gave you the wrong idea about Josh.’

Verity nodded. ‘Yes that’s– Oh shit! If this is all true then I’ve
just realised I behaved appallingly to Josh tonight! And ... I told him to
leave me alone! I’ve got to find him and explain.’

***

Verity summoned all her courage and rang the doorbell at Josh’s
home. She’d searched for him at Louis’ until someone finally told Etienne that
they’d seen him storm out sometime before. Just after she’d told him to leave
her alone, Verity realised.

She wasn’t sure at first whether she should be doing this, but her
mother’s words rang in her ears. “
Let your hair down for once and see what
the world has to offer you. Just take a chance. You may be pleasantly
surprised”, and hadn’t she been telling Lucy to take a chance on Etienne?

When
she’d got her coat and walked the few hundred metres to Josh’s door, not only
was she convinced that this was the right thing to do, she realised she wanted
him more than she’d wanted anything in a very, very long time. And whatever the
truth was about the last chalet girl, did it really matter? She
wanted
Josh. The only problem was, would he still want her?

She knew he was still up because the lights were on but it was
past midnight and she didn’t know how he would react when he opened the door –
assuming he did open the door. What if he looked out and saw it was her and
just left her standing there? She probably deserved it, she thought.

‘Oh! It’s you! What are you doing here? Has something happened?
Are you all right?’ She saw him look behind her. ‘Are you alone?’

‘Yes,’ she said with a friendly smile.

‘Is that wise? I might try to force myself on you.’ He gave her an
icy stare.

She shook her head. ‘No, you won’t, Josh. You know it and so do I
now. May I come in?’

He hesitated for a moment. ‘Seriously, Verity? Are you sure? I
really don’t think you should. You told me to leave you alone and I will. But
I’ve just had a few drinks and as much as I would despise myself for it, I’m
not sure
I
trust myself. Unless this is an emergency, couldn’t we do
this tomorrow?’

‘No, Josh, we couldn’t. If I don’t do this now, I may live to
regret it.’

His face hardened further. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve come to hand in
your notice. I’ll leave you alone, Verity. I can promise you that. You don’t
have to leave. I’ll stay out of your way from now on.’

‘That’s what worries me. I don’t want you to stay out of my way.
Or to leave me alone. Quite the opposite in fact.’

He blinked several times and his mouth fell open but he seemed to
quickly recover himself.

‘If this is a repeat performance of your little seduction scene, I
think I’ll pass, thanks. I couldn’t take that again. Seriously, why are you
here? If you’re worried that
I
might ask
you
to leave, don’t be.
The job is yours for as long as you want it.’

‘That’s not why I’m here. I’m here because I owe you an apology
... and an explanation.’

He studied her face. ‘You owe me nothing. I’d be interested to
know why you did what you did but really ... not now. Not tonight.’

‘Yes, Josh.’ She held his gaze and moved towards him. ‘Tonight.’

‘Shit, Verity!’ He ran a hand through his hair. ‘Don’t you realise
that I’m absolutely fucking crazy about you? Sorry! No pun intended. Every time
I’m near you I just want to take you in my arms and kiss you – and a lot more
than that, believe me. Unless you want to spend the next few hours trying to
fight me off, I suggest you go. Please! Go!’

She shook her head. ‘And I rather like you. I’ve just tried to
convince myself that I don’t. And ...
you
might be the one fighting
me
off, not the other way around.’

Josh visibly gulped. ‘What? This isn’t funny. I don’t like being
lied to and–’

‘Josh! It’s absolutely freezing out here and as you know, I’m only
wearing this skimpy dress beneath my coat.’ She undid her coat and opened it to
remind him what she was wearing. ‘Couldn’t I come in and discuss this in the
warmth?’

His eyes travelled up and down the length of her body and despite
the cold night air, she suddenly felt very warm indeed.

He ran a hand through his hair again and Verity glanced at it and
smiled. He smirked when he realised what he was doing.

‘What about everything you said at Louis’. You didn’t seem so keen
on me touching you then? What’s suddenly changed your mind?’

‘If you let me come in, I’ll tell you. Let’s just say that I made
a mistake – a big mistake.’

‘Are you sure you’re not making another? This is your last chance
to go home. I warned you before what might happen if I got you back here. And
I’m serious when I say that if you come in, I probably won’t be able to keep my
hands off you. Do you really want to risk that?’

‘I don’t see that as a risk. And I’m not sure that I’ll be able to
keep my hands off you, either.’

She could see the conflict in his eyes and his expression told her
that he wanted to believe her but he just wasn’t sure he could.

‘You ... you really want to do this?’

She nodded. ‘I really want to do this.’

He reached out for her and pulled her inside, closing the door
behind them but he let her go immediately.

‘Let me just get this straight,’ he said, ‘because I’m not sure I
believe this is happening. What exactly is it we’re going to be doing?’

She looked up into his eyes. ‘I’m going to be apologising and
telling you why I did what I did earlier and you’re going to be listening.’

‘Is ... is that all? You told me to leave you alone earlier and
now you’ve just told me that you rather like me and ... you don’t want me to
leave you alone. Do you really mean that?’ 

‘I really mean that.’

‘But ... apologising, explaining and listening. Is that it?
Because that isn’t what I just heard you say so I may have misunderstood and it
may just be wishful thinking on my part.’

 She turned away from him and walked towards the sitting room
door. ‘Well, I’m hoping we’re going to be doing some kissing in between the
apologising, explaining and listening.’

She eased her coat from her shoulders and glanced back at him
seductively as it fell to the floor.

‘Shit!’ He stood his ground as though he were too scared to move.
‘
Please
don’t look at me like that!’

She continued towards the sitting room.

‘Verity!’

She turned and looked him full in the face, tilting her head to
one side and smiling at him as provocatively as she knew how.

‘Yes, Josh.’

She saw him tug at his shirt collar although the top button was
open; it clearly wasn’t the shirt that was troubling him.

‘I ... I don’t think I’m making myself clear,’ he said, running
his hand through his hair. ‘So let me be blunt. The kitchen is that way.’ He
pointed along the hall. ‘If you just want to apologise and explain, you can do
that in there whilst I throw cold water on my face and drink copious amounts of
coffee.’

She glanced behind her at the kitchen door and took another step
to her right in the direction of the sitting room. 

‘But ... if you take one more step towards that sitting room, then
you can’t hold me responsible for the consequences because I want to make love
to you even more than I want to take another breath. I’m telling you now – and
I don’t want there to be even the slightest doubt about this, if you go into
that sitting room, you are going to end up in my bed. I’m deadly serious,
Verity and this isn’t a game. If you go in there, you’ll be telling me that you
want me as much as I want you. You’ll be saying beyond any shred of doubt that
you want to have sex with me. Tonight.’

‘Uh huh,’ she said. ‘I understand.’ She pointed to the kitchen.
‘Kitchen equals just talking and drinking coffee and possibly, just a little
bit of kissing and getting to know one another. Yes?’

He shook his head. ‘No kissing. Just talking.’

‘Right. So kitchen equals talking and nothing else. Yes?’

‘Yes.’

She pointed to the sitting room. ‘Sitting room equals talking,
kissing, a bit of rampant foreplay, ultimately leading to your bed and hours of
passionate, unadulterated sex. Is that what you mean?’

He looked as if he was going to fall over. She saw his Adam’s
apple rise and fall and his hand went through his hair not once but twice.

‘I couldn’t have put it better myself,’ he said after a few
seconds, his voice far deeper and more gravelly than she’d ever heard it
before.

She smiled, spun round in a circle on the spot, walked into the
sitting room and popped her head back around the door, still smiling
seductively.

‘Are you coming?’ she asked, beckoning him with her index finger.

‘Fuck! Sooner than either of us would like if you carry on like
that!’ He reached the sitting room in just a few long strides and pulled her
into his arms.

This time he didn’t let her go.

***

‘This isn’t going to work,’ Josh said, fifteen minutes later as he
and Verity had made it as far as the sofa. His voice was hoarse and his eyes
were dark with desire. ‘I’m sorry but you’re going to have to go.’ He got to
his feet and strode towards the hall. ‘Come on, Mistral. There’s a fire in the
kitchen and your basket’s in there.’