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Chapter Nine

Xaria’s heart was going unbelievably fast by the time she made it into her room. Immediately, she headed for the mini bar and grabbed a water to quench a thirst that seemed extremely vast. All she had to do was imagine Aidrian O’Shea, tall, muscular, dipped in dark chocolate, and panty-soakingly handsome.

Shaking her head at her behavior, Xaria thought about his request. Despite what he might think, it hadn’t been easy to say no to him. In fact, she’d wanted to say a lot more to him, just nothing about teaching him secrets of the ice.

Imagine being alone with him night after night. Out under the stars.

A shiver of longing roared over her. “Okay. I apparently need to get laid.” She headed toward her bed and flopped down on it. Xaria tried to think about Nepal and the amazing time she was going to have. Instead of the Himalayas, her mind’s eye conjured up Aidrian O’Shea and Antarctica. He was more than lovely to imagine. What wasn’t, however, was the disappointment in his onyx gaze when she’d refused him.

Rolling over, she groaned with exasperation. She’d grown up on the ice, had experience not many would ever attain. Her father, with his green eyes, appeared in her head and she knew what needed to happen. Xaria sat up, reaching for the phone to place two calls. After that was completed, she lay back on the bed and took a nap.

An hour later, she was standing in the elevator, and Xaria shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. When she reached the ground floor, she headed straight for the restaurant and grabbed a table near the back. While she drank a beer and waited for her food, a shadow fell over her dimly lit table. Xaria looked up and had a hard time swallowing the liquid. Aidrian O’Shea stood there dressed in a blue button-down shirt and black slacks.

Oh, hell, I’m screwed!

“Good evening, Mr. O’Shea. I’m about to eat, would you care to join me?” Would you put me on your menu?

He held her gaze before a smile cracked the stern visage of his face. “Thank you, Ms. Hummel.” His large body settled gracefully into a seat across from her.

“Xaria, please. Or Xar. Hell, even Jötunn.” Shit, I’m babbling like a not just a fool, but a damn fool!

His sexy bald head nodded once. “Xaria it is.”

Xaria longed to melt below the floor at the sound of her name rolling off his tongue. It wasn’t the first time he’d said it, but it was so different this time. That one word from his lips brought to mind long nights of endless pleasure.

Wetting her lips, she smiled. “Better, thank you.”

It didn’t take long before a beer sat before Aidrian and his order had been placed. His intense gaze held hers until she closed her eyes and took a swig of her beer.

Distraction. I need a distraction. Glancing from lowered lids at him, she noticed he still watched her. Endless patience was what his expression told her. This man was one not easily ruffled or put off. Beneath his exterior lingered a thread of danger. She wouldn’t have expected SEAL for he didn’t match her assumption of one. But there was clam assurance about him that did more, way more, than intrigue her.

“What can I do for you, Xaria?” His question rolled of his tongue in a near purr.

Strip naked and let me lick you from head to toe. Hold me in your arms; back me up against a wall and… Xaria shifted on her seat. “How long were you allowing for this crash course in ice survival?”

He leaned forward, beer bottle dangling from two long fingers, and rested his elbows on the table. Aidrian licked his lips, which sent more longing racing through her.

“I want the whole class. One week I believe.”

One week. With just him. Damn, if that thought didn’t have merit. “You want an advanced course?”

“Absolutely.”

He placed his beer on the table and relaxed back in the chair. And yet, Xaria wondered if he weren’t suddenly, somehow, more dangerous. She sighed, her decision made. “Okay. We’ll need to go over a few things beforehand and I’ll make some calls to arrange transport back out to a station.”

“Name the time and place and I’ll be there.”

Now. Here. Xaria glanced at her watch just as their food arrived. She remained silent until it was just the two of them again. “My room, after dinner.” His eyes met hers and she shivered with desire at the heat that flared there. Shoving down her reaction, Xaria lifted her brows. “Will that be a problem?”

“Not for me,” he responded.

“Good.”

They ate in a comfortable silence for a while.

“Tell me how you came to this, Xaria,” he ordered as he ate his last prawn.

“My father. My parents divorced when I was young and he spent most of his time in Antarctica. So when I visited, he’d take me places. When my mother passed, he kept me with him instead of shipping me off to some boarding school. I was nine when I moved in with him.”

“And you never had any desire to do anything else?”

Xaria was surprised there was no censure in his tone, only pure curiosity. “Not for a second,” she answered honestly.

“Where’s your father now?” he questioned.

“Back home in Norway. He lives with my uncle, his brother, and helps out there. My uncle has a bookstore in Tromsø. When he lost his leg, my father realized Antarctica was no longer a place he’d be able to call home.”

“Sorry to hear that. Where’s Tromsø located?”

“Thanks, but he’s still deeply involved in expeditions when he’s not at the bookstore. It’s in northern Norway on the island of Tromsøy, off the northwestern coast of the mainland. Largest Norwegian city north of the Arctic Circle. It’s used as a starting point and support base for arctic expeditions as well you can study the Aurora Borealis there. For being so far north, it’s got a lot, including a university and an airport.” She smiled. “He’s developing a deep love for the Arctic now.”

“And he met your mother where?”

“England. She was there from Egypt going to college.” Xaria shrugged. “I guess they tried to make it work, but it wasn’t meant to be.” Okay, I really didn’t mean to tell him all of that. Normally she kept her private life private.

He remained silent for a bit and just watched her. Utensils down, Aidrian asked, “Dessert?”

“No thanks. Go ahead, but I should begin making those calls.”

“I’m good,” he assured her and waved for the check.

Of that I have no doubt. Xaria opened her mouth to dispute him when he reached for the check, but kept silent at his pointed look. As he signed his name, he winked at her, sending tremors of longing through her. She had to fight the urge to snuggle into his chest as he assisted her from the chair. Side by side, they walked to the elevator, her head reaching just above his shoulder. She watched him out of the side of her eyes. He appeared relaxed against the wall of the elevator car, but she was positive he was well aware of everything around him.

When they stopped, she led the way to her door. “This is me,” she said softly.

“I know,” he whispered in her ear.

Xaria shivered even as the warmth of his body surrounded her. Opening the door, she entered. “Grab a seat, I’ll get some pamphlets.” She went to her bag by her bed and sank to the mattress, wishing it were in a separate room. She needed more than a second to gather her thoughts. Getting what she wanted, Xaria moved back to the small table where he sat at one of the chairs. She tossed the material between them on the laminate surface and sat down. “Okay, this is what I can offer you.”

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