Chapter 3 - Northern France

The next morning we headed towards the north of France where we were going to be staying in cabins. Isabella asked me if I was doing ok with Sasha and said that I would have to stay with him on this leg of the trip as well as they had only booked enough cabins for the number of guests. No one wanted to switch partners and therefore I had to stay with Sasha. I shrugged at this as she gave me the keys to my cabin. The cabin was small and cozy looking…but  it only had one bed. Sasha and I both looked at each other awkwardly when we walked in. 

‘I can sleep on the floor if you are not comfortable with me in your bed’ Sasha admitted. Not wanting to inconvenience him I just shook my head.

‘It’s fine, really’ I said nervously. It really wasn’t ok, but I didn't want him to think I was being difficult. Chris always told me I made things more complicated than they needed to be.

Once settled in, I left  the cabin to walk around the cute little town. Jamie didn’t provide any suggestions for this place so I was on my own to find something for supper. I found a cute little café by the sea and ordered a coffee, and a slice of quiche lorraine. ‘Mind if we join you, Zayka?’ A familiar accented voice asks. I turned to find Lyosha and Sasha. I motioned for them to have a seat as the waitress brought over my coffee. 

‘Deux cafés noir mademoiselle, s'il-vous-plaît' Sasha asked in perfect french holding two fingers up. The waitress nodded at him and walked away.

‘What are you two up to?’ I asked them. 

‘Same as you, I assume’ Sasha replied while looking at the menu, ‘Getting acquainted with the area’.

Lyosha carried most of the conversation animatedly, I learned that he was 26, a travel entrepreneur with this company, and that this was his 3rd organised tour. He mentioned that although they did some of the same tours we did, he liked to bring his clients to some of the lesser known treasures in the cities. He said he had contacts all over Europe that were able to secure him entrance to some of the best clubs in town. Sasha was a little dour during the meal, not providing much to the conversation. The guys ordered a bottle of wine to share between us as we enjoyed our meal and watched the sunset. Sasha settled everyone’s bill and offered to walk me back to our cabin. Lyosha didn’t join us but gave me a peck on the cheek. 

‘Good night Zayka’ he said to me, ‘Dobroy nochi’ he said to Sasha with a head nod. Sasha stifly  returned the nod as Lyosha left in the opposite direction.

A chill ran through me from the cool breeze. Sasha immediately handed me his sweater. 

‘Oh, no thanks, I’m okay’ I said unconvincingly.

‘Put it on’ he said a little harshly ‘… please’ he added, his eyes softening. I obliged, handing him my purse to hold while I pulled on the sweater over my head. It smelled like pine trees, peppermint and musk. 

‘Is everything ok?’ I asked him tentatively.

‘Yes, why?’ he returned raising a questioning brow. 

‘Well you were awfully quiet at suppertime’ I said tentatively

‘Oh, well, Lyosha hardly ever shuts up does he?’ He answered with a sly smile ‘It’s hard to get a word in with him’ I laughed at this accurate description of Lyosha. 

‘Did you know him before the trip?’ I asked.

‘No I met him when he was recruiting clients in my town, and then again on the way here. He was sitting next to me on the plane. But now I know everything about him’ he said in an exasperated tone. ‘He is a good guy though, does he interest you, Malyshka?’ I felt myself blushing. 

‘Uhm, no, not really, well... I don't really know him’ I rambled on. Sasha laughed softly.

‘Tell me about yourself, Malyshka’ he said after a few minutes of silence. 

‘Uhm.. what do you want to know?’ I shrugged

‘What made you decide to come on this trip for starters?’

‘Ha!’ I barked out. Sasha looked at me inquisitively. ‘A broken heart I guess’

‘So you are hoping to find love on this trip?’ Sasha asked.

‘No… I don’t think so’ I started ‘I think I’m here to bide my time and mend my broken heart’

‘Is it working so far?’ 

‘Well I haven't really given Chris much thought until now’ I realised. Sasha smiled sadly at me. ‘What about you? Why are you doing this trip?’ I returned.

‘Biding my time, as you put it’ he said simply. I wanted him to elaborate but I also didn’t want to overstep. The thought of Chris reminded me how much I annoyed him when I tried to show interest in his life and asked questions. We continued on our walk mostly in silence. At the cabin Sasha opened the door for me and handed me my purse. I had forgotten to take it back from him when I put his sweater on. I tried to pull his sweater off deftly but my shirt got caught and came halfway up my torso before I realised. I was mortified but Sasha simply smiled at me, pulling my t-shirt down. I changed into my pyjamas and made my way to the bed. The sheets, I notice, were incredibly thin. Although it was early summer, the nights here were cool, and the cabin seemed to keep the warmth out altogether. I looked in the closet to find another blanket but came up empty handed. Sasha walked back into the cabin wearing pyjama pants and a black tank top, his muscular arms on full display.  He inspected the sheets as I did, then he also looked in the closet for a spare blanket. 

‘I already checked’ I said to him, ‘no such luck!’

He grabbed the sweatshirt I had been wearing and dug out a pair of woolen socks. He climbed into the bed beside me and pulled me over to him. My eyes widened and I stiffened. 

‘Don’t worry,  Malyshka, this is purely to stay warm’ he announced as he pulled me even closer to him, draping his arm around me. The heat radiating off of him warmed me instantly. His forehead rested against the back of my head and his knees touched the back of mine. The front of his body molded perfectly to the back of mine, every part of him was touching me. Chris and I used to snuggle up like this when we first moved in together. A wave of heat washed through me settling between my legs. I tried pushing those thoughts away to focus on getting some sleep. 

Sasha influenced my dream that night as his smell and warmth surrounded me. In my dream he slowly undressed me while running his fingers down my spine. His lips were on mine, then on my neck and on my breast. His tongue flicked at my hard nipple while his hand kneaded the other breast. I arched my back to give him better access to my breast and felt his hardness on my thigh. Then I looked up to see Chris’s malicious sneer. 

‘As if someone like him would fuck someone as fat and ugly as you’ he sniggered at me. Sasha stopped what he was doing, looked at me wrinkling his nose in disgust. Leyosha appeared with a look of disdain clear on his face as I tried to cover my nakedness. 

‘Malyshka?’ I heard a voice calling from afar, ‘Avery!’ Sasha’s hands were grasping my shoulders as he shook me awake. I opened my eyes frantically trying to cover myself with my hands then realised I was dreaming. I stared into his clear blue eyes, as I began to regain consciousness, I dropped my gaze hoping I didn’t talk in my sleep. ‘Did you get a visit from the night hag?’ he asked with a crooked smile. I look at him confused.

‘Who?’

‘Were you having a nightmare, Malyshka?’ he said softly.

‘I think so. Sorry I didn't mean to wake you’. I was hot and sticky from the dream, I climbed out of bed and reached for my water bottle. As I took a drink I admired Sasha who had lain back down on the bed, his  hands were tucked behind his head. His eyes were closed and his long lashes kissed his cheekbones. His sweater was slightly pulled up and I could see his lower abdomen. I coughed trying to stifle a groan of pleasure at this beautiful sight laying in bed before me. 

Sasha opened an eye as I coughed and he looked at me. ‘It’s not polite to stare, Malyshka’ he said quietly. I felt the embarrassment run through me. Dream Chris came back into my mind reminding me that I was silly for entertaining the thought of being with a guy like Sasha. This guy was gorgeous, he was completely out of my league. 

‘Come here before the night hag catches you again’ he teased. I longed to be in Sasha’s arms again for their warmth, I didn’t need to be told twice. Sasha rolled over in bed away from me. I felt a pang of disappointment that he was moving away from me.  

‘It’s your turn to be the big spoon though,’ he declared ‘I can’t get much sleep with your butt moving against my crotch like that. It’s a little distracting’ he finished in amusement. My eyes widened in horror and I felt myself blush again. No one had ever made me blush so much as this cheeky Russian. 

‘I’m really sorry I didn't mean to Sasha honest’

‘Relax Avery, I was teasing’. I love the way my name sounds when he says it with his light russian accent. 

‘How come you don’t have a heavier accent like Lyosha?’ I asked, lying behind him.

‘I went to school in America’ he answered simply, I opened my mouth to ask more questions but he beat me to it. ‘Go to sleep, and stop teasing me, Zayka’’ I realised I was tracing the length of the bulging veins on his arm.  Mortified by my action, I abruptly pulled my arm in front of me to create a barrier between our bodies. I felt him chuckle as he reached back for my arm and laid it across his taut abdomen. I quickly fell asleep again, warm and cozy.