Learning to Fly - 17

Chapter 17 - Girl Power

Carly woke bright and early with the feeling that she'd done the impossible, spent two "dates" in Jens' company and come away physically and emotionally intact. She honestly knew now that it was pure luck. He seemed to back down just at the time that Carly knew her resolve was weakest.  But escape she had! So she was determined to enjoy herself and reward her success rather than rue the decisions she'd made.

"Marta!" She almost pounced on her workmate as the other woman entered the building the following day. "Please, please, please say you'll come out tonight! I really need some girly fun!"

Marta groaned, "does that mean Camilla's still not back?"

"No! Not that I'd choose her over you! But yes, I'm at a loose end, and I'd really like to go out and enjoy myself! We work hard Marta, don't we deserve some fun?"

It took until lunchtime but Marta finally succumbed to Carly's plans. For Carly the thought of heading out and doing something took her mind off analysing the previous evening and thinking about Jens in any detail. Life had become so complicated and she wanted some 'Carly' time, she'd had the world at her feet when she'd arrived in Austria, the last few weeks she'd drifted away from her goals, her plan. 

So Carly was planning to change all that, and it started now! She could have fun, but cavorting with the boss, pissing off colleagues...that was not the best way to make friends and progress in this world.

After work she went straight to the gym, she hadn't worked out other than her ski attempt for over a week, since she'd turned on her ankle and had to be rescued by Lucas. So, taking it easy, she warmed up on the bike, tried some light weights, then dug into the back of her mind to remember some gym ball Pilates exercises that she'd done a few years ago at home. Feeling strong she finished up on the treadmill, having gained confidence in her ankle through the workout.

"Ankle holding up then?" 

Carly'd slowed down the treadmill to a fast walk when the voice disturbed her concentration. Glancing to the right, she knew she'd see Lucas, he was sat on a bike, looking out into the cold dark night.

"Yep...thanks."

He nodded a 'no problem' gesture, but his eyes didn't deviate from some focal point out in the snow.

Carly had climbed down from the treadmill and was supine on the floor trying to stretch out her hamstring when he finally finished on the bike. Standing over her he was looking down with amusement in his eyes when she finally glanced up at him.

"You look like you're struggling. Let me help..." Before she could protest he grabbed her right ankle and started to push her leg over her head until he felt the tension of her tight muscles restricting her. Closing her eyes she groaned at the pleasure/pain phenomena that the extreme stretch was causing. As soon as he eased the pressure on her leg, he gripped the other ankle and repeated the torture. 

Finally releasing the second leg, he made to walk away, but Carly spoke and halted him. 

"Thanks Lucas..." they'd not spoken since she'd slapped him, or rather tried to apologise for that attack. She found it hard to admit that she'd missed him, she'd enjoyed his company over Christmas and there'd been several times since then that she'd wanted to talk to him, ask his opinion...but she'd ruined that. "And I'm still really sorry...for hitting you. It was inexcusable."

Lucas shrugged, "I should know better than to bait a fiery woman...I never learn!" 

Carly tried to smile, but there as too much awkward tension, "I'm hardly that!"

He shrugged, "you're the talk of the town! Jens is quite a catch!"

Immediately Carly blushed, more than embarrassed, she felt shame and humiliation at his suggestion. She'd fought to try and keep any budding relationships under wraps. The fact that this may be literally common knowledge was mortifying. And once more Lucas was the gloating messenger. 

Climbing to her feet slowly, she glared at him, "what do you know...about anything?"

Carly had to get away, she'd got into petty fights with him far too many times, and here he was YET again having the upper hand. Scowling she turned and walked away, hating the sound of his laughter following her.

After a calming shower, Carly made for town and met Marta in their favourite bar, managed by Rochelle's husband Franz. Rochelle had heard their plans and was on her way to join them. The place was buzzing, the Christmas crowd had departed and now a new younger crowd seemed to have descended on the resort to see in the New Year. Singing and dancing was very much the norm so it seemed, along with shots of anything remotely alcoholic. 

The three girls sat in the corner of the room and laughed at the antics unfolding on the dance floor. Carly'd not noticed people be SO drunk, SO early in the night. All too soon she was dancing with the girls, laughing and goofing around. As three reasonably young and attractive women, they did attract male attention, various groups of young men sidled up to them as they danced, but they moved free of them each time. Carly was glad that her two friends had joined her. Friends were invaluable when you were experiencing such immense self doubt. 

It was after midnight when the three found themselves secreted away in the corner of the bar, a half empty bottle of wine between them.

"So am I the gossip?"

Both Rochelle and Marta's heads snapped up to meet her eyes. Carly was reclined against the wall, she looked relaxed, happy, but the question, and the ever so subtle frown lines between her eyebrows.

Rochelle chuckled, a little more awkwardly than was normal for her, "skiing with the boss will always throw you into the limelight Cherie. You knew that!"

Carly shrugged, "but other than that?"

Marta shrugged, "apparently people know you went out with him last night." 

Carly groaned. She'd told her two friends before the date that she was meeting Jens, and she trusted them implicitly, that left Jens himself. She'd sworn him to secrecy, been as discreet as possible. But it wasn't enough. 

Marta laid a hand on her arm, "Carly is doesn't matter, people know you, like you...no one will think anything different."

Whether that was true didn't matter to Carly, she hated being this exposed. looking so...desperate. She knew how people would view her liaison with Jens, and knew the conclusions they'd jump to.

Standing she marched on to the dance floor and started to move to the music, it was the only way to switch off. She knew people would think her reactions to the gossip were over the top, but she'd lived in a town where EVERYONE knew your business, that was a major part of all that she was trying to get away from. But petty gossip followed her even in Austria.

The dance floor was crammed full of tourists, all at a variety of levels of drunkenness. Is was easy to just fit in and dance. Especially when 'Ice Ice Baby' came on and the place went crazy. Carly was laughing with a couple of other girls at one guy's crazy dancing when she felt arms encircle her. 

Suddenly angry she raised an arm to attack whoever had grabbed her with a well placed elbow to the torso, when a warm voice oozed, "you really are the sexiest woman in here!"

Jens.

Carly turned in his arms, torn between anger and inevitability. If people were going to gossip, she'd learned at a young age, then it didn't matter when you did, nothing changed what was said. Staring at Jens for a moment, she took in his dark eyes, warm humour-filled, his face was tanned, his dark hair tucked behind his ears. Despite being cleanly shaven, his jaw was still darkened by a shadow of stubble. He was staggering, and he was spending a long time trying to seduce her.

What the hell?

In for a penny, in for a pound. With a smile she slid her arms up around Jens' neck, his eyes widened in surprise at the sudden change in her attitude towards him. And his lips were still parted in surprise when she pulled them down to meet hers. 

it took a few seconds for Jens to fully appreciate her kiss, to register it and take control. She was already wrapped in his arms, but as he felt her tongue slide between his lips, an invasion, a bold and very suggestive move, he dragged her against him, hard. With a groan he gave up all efforts of restraint, to remember where they were, and responded with full fervour. 

What had started as inquisition, as curiosity, soon became a full-on sensual assault. Carly's veins thrummed with tension, lust and a large dose of Dutch courage courtesy of the beer and wine she'd consumed earlier. Coupled to that was the heat, the excitement of a pair of very experienced, very deliberate lips literally devouring her. 

With a sigh she battled to break free, to drag air into her empty lungs, then managed to meet Jens' lust filled eyes with her own that sparkled with the same arousal. 

""Wow!" he breathed resting his lips on her forehead, "I don't know what changed, but I'm glad it did...you are electric..."

Noticing eyes, dozens of pairs, all trained on them from around the room, 

Carly suddenly wavered, and sensing the sudden change, Jens found one of her hands and lifted it to his lips, "if we leave now, things will be a hundred times more obvious...let me buy you a drink...we can sneak out later." When her eyes widened in surprise at his suggestion he laughed, "to talk Carly, that's all."

No one approached them as they moved to the bar, there Jens ordered her a beer, clinking it with his own bottle.

"Prost!" His salute came with a wry smile, which she reciprocated. Then with her own smile, she took a long mouthful. 

Boredom set in to the eyes of the prying staff scattered around the room and as soon as Jens realised there were other focuses in the room, that they were no longer the hot topic, he leaned towards her. "Go chat with your friends, I'll meet you outside in ten minutes. We can go and talk somewhere a little more private!"

Carly raised an eyebrow, "private? I know just what that's insinuating!"

With a feigned look of shock, he answered, "I was thinking the all night cafe across town. It's quiet until the bars close!"

Laughing she nodded her head, "I'll believe you, though thousands wouldn't."

Rochelle and Marta watched her approach with incredulous faces, Marta was the first to speak, "well if there was any doubt over the gossip you've blown that out of the water!"

Carly grinned, "if I'm going to be gossipped about I might as well get something out of it!"

Rochelle reached for her and forced her to face the two girls, "Carly are you sure you want this? You know what he's like..."

"Why would he be interested in me? Hey?" Carly fought to keep the anger out of her voice.

Shaking her head Rochelle squeezed her hand, "he is more than interested in you Carly, anyone can see that, and why wouldn't he be...you're different to the other girls here, I just don't want to see you hurt."

"Maybe I'll hurt him eventually?" Carly snapped.

Rochelle sighed, "you are not the sort of person who does anything by half, already we know that about you..."

Taking a calming deep breath, Carly smiled, "I really do just want some fun Rochelle, I haven't come here to get embroiled in relationships, I promise."

A few minutes later Carly slipped out of the bar to see Jens stood lounging against a lamp-post. Snow was starting to fall and had spattered his dark coat with what almost looked like dandruff, and a few large flakes had stuck to his eyelashes.

"You ok?" he asked lifting his weight away from the lamp-post and stepping towards her. When she nodded, he swung an arm across her shoulders and led her off into the darkness. 

The all night cafe, as Jens had predicted, was quiet. He nodded to the waiter as they walked in and ordered coffee for them both. Turning back to Carly, he smiled to see her weaving her way to a secluded booth in the corner. 

Etiquette dictated he should sit opposite her, but after the earlier display of affection he wasn't keen to let those fences become re-erected. So he slid onto the beach next to her. She glanced at him in surprise for a moment, but wasn't outwardly dismayed or alarmed so he relaxed into a lazy recline next to her. 

Carly knew he had questions, the previous evening she'd been frosty, pushing him away. tonight she'd thrown herself at him in a complete turnaround of events. The problem was Carly had no answers. She had gone with the moment and could no more explain her change in feelings as she could understand his attraction with her. 

"I'm not complaining, but I do find it strange...that you've stopped resisting this...me..."

Carly would never have believed that Jens could be so humble, so unsure of himself, and it was refreshing. Smiling she gave a shrug that she hoped appeared carefree, "people seem to presume that I had already succumbed to your advances...if I'm to be convicted by the public, I'd at least like to have done the crime!"

He laughed, "so you're here with me because the gossips are talking about you?"

She could sense there was a little disappointment in his voice at her reasoning, so she reached out and took his hand, "I wasn't here before because I didn't want the gossips discussing me, that's different. I promise!"

Carly was rewarded with a beaming smile, the confident Jens was back.