The bedroom was officially a mess.

Clothes. Were. Everywhere.

If James could see it now, Ali thought to herself, looking around at the selection of outfits she had spread across all available surfaces. Sweaters, jeans, skirts, leggings, heels, boots, ski pants, ski jacket, mittens, hat, sun glasses….

But what else?

She tapped her chin while she thought.

“Oh my God, HELLO! Allison!” She laughed, walking over to her dresser. Opening the top drawer, she looked at the plethora of skimpy, sexy items in the drawer. She dug through the massive pile, picking up a one piece here, a garter belt there, a pair of black thigh highs—

“Well…we know THOSE are going.” She giggled, tossing them behind her to join the pile of clothes.

Continuing to rummage through the drawer, she passed lacey number after silky number after sheer number, wondering which James would like the most. Finally, she just grabbed the whole lot and threw them into the pile.

“I’ll decide there” she said. Turning around, she looked at the mess of clothes everywhere. She had a feeling one bag wasn’t going to cut it; not with her heavy ski pants.

Will we even ski, though?

Ali stepped over two outfits laid out on the floor to retrieve her phone, which was laying on the edge of the bed. She sent James a text, asking if skiing was in his plans. If she didn’t have to pack unnecessary stuff, she wasn’t going to.

As she waited for a response, she chewed on her thumbnail and stared at the floor. It was a short trip, but she wanted to make sure she didn’t regret not taking something. But all along, she knew why she was fussing: because it was just plain fun.

Her phone beeped with a message back from James:

Was going to ask you that question :-) It’s whatever U want.

Ali sighed. Her eyes looked back at the pile of clothes, but then a thought occurred to her: James didn’t have any ski gear at all.

She tapped back: But you don’t have anything to ski in?

He responded back quickly: I can buy stuff.

“Jerk” she said aloud, smiling. She decided to bring her ski gear, figuring it was better to have them than not.

The next half hour was devoted to actually placing all the items into the suitcase, ruling out a few items here and there as she packed. First went the lingerie, which took up no space at all; then panties, socks, heavier pants, sweaters, one sweater dress, a few comfy t-shirts, and finally the plaid pj’s that James secretly liked but pretended were dorky on her. She had to roll a few items to make everything fit, even though her suitcase was a big one.

With a satisfied sigh, Ali stared down at the suitcase, chock full of everything. She grabbed her phone and extended her thumb out in front of her phone’s camera. Giving a thumbs-up, she snapped a pic with her suitcase in the background. She sent it off to James, hoping he’d be excited to see her all packed and ready to go.

Lunch was next on the agenda, and then a few errands to run in town. Ali debated going for a run, but waved it off.Vacation began the minute I opened the envelope. Working out will take a back seat until further notice.

….unless I count fucking my boyfriend nonstop for four days a workout….

That thought made Ali smile.

As she went about making lunch and settling down on the couch, she saw that James sent a picture message as his reply to her earlier pic. The picture was of his face from the nose up, with just his eyes taking up the majority of the picture. He had the look of utter surprise on him, or what Ali could see of him, and it made her laugh.

Goof, she wrote back.

The rest of the day went painfully slow. Ali actually debated going to sleep at 7 pm, just so she could sleep away the rest of the hours separating her from getting on her plane the next morning. She also had a few long text conversations with James whenever he had free time, which was more often that she thought. They didn’t get to actually talk on the phone because of his game that night, and then after that he’d be back on another airplane to fly to Winnipeg.

When the game came on, Ali was already comfortably set up in bed with a glass of wine. Everything about laying there, watching James play, knowing an amazing vacation was about to start…it all made her feel even more relaxed than she already was. A big dumb grin was all over her face, and it wasn’t the wine that was causing it.

When the second intermission went into effect, Ali sent James a goodnight text. She knew he wouldn’t get it until long after the game was over, but she didn’t mind. After all, she had a plane to catch the next morning.

Ali fell asleep quickly, and before she knew it, her alarm went off at 3:30 am. She showered and went through the entire process of getting ready while dancing to music. She grabbed a quick breakfast and then was out the door and driving the route she normally took to get to work. This time, though, Ali parked in the long-term parking lot at the airport and rode the shuttle over to the airport to board a plane she didn’t even book for herself.

Once through security, she felt on top of the world. There was nothing left but the wait. She arrived at her gate and looked around, noticing plenty of sleepy-looking individuals waiting in the seating area. It made her wonder if she was the only one who was energized and ready to go.

As they came closer to actually boarding the plane, Ali gave James a quick call. She knew it would wake him up, but he told her via text to do it anyway. She was far too excited not to, and just this once she’d bug him out of bed. When he picked up, Ali heard him grunt a little, as if he was reaching for the phone.

“There she is.” His voice was a level deeper than normal and still full of slumber.

Ali smiled as she walked away from the seating area. “Hi…I won’t keep you, just wanted to let you know we’re boarding soon.”

“So close now, I can taste it.”

“I know. I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling all morning” she said, looking back to make sure people weren’t lining up yet. “I must look seriously high to everyone who’s seen me so far today.”

James’ low rumble of a laugh was just barely audible. “You’re cute, babe.”

She sighed happily. “I wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for you, ya know.”

“You’re not thanking me again, are you?”

Ali could almost feel him speaking to her as if he was right there; his voice was so close. “Nah, I’ll do that in person.”

“Now there’s some thanking I could get along with” he said, his cocky tone a little more noticeable now.

A woman’s voice at the gate could now be heard announcing the pre-boarding process. It was so loud that Ali had to wait before she could continue talking.

“Time to go?” He sounded a little sad.

“Appears that way; people are lining up.”

“Call me when you land, okay?”

Ali smiled. “I will. When is your skate?”

“In a few hours, but don’t worry about that. If you don’t get me, I’ll call you back.”

“You mean when I’m driving my Range Rover into the mountains?” she asked, grinning all over again.

“Better send me a pic, too.”

“I will!”

“And of the house.”

She laughed. “I’ll send you pics of everything.”

“Make sure you’re in them, too.”

“Only if you promise to send me pictures back of your eyes” Ali teased.

“I promise.”

The woman’s voice was heard again, announcing Zone 1 to begin boarding.

“Okay, really gotta go now. Love you, James.”

“Love you, Als. Have a safe trip.”

“Bye, babe.”

She hung up and turned her phone off so she wouldn’t be tempted to touch it again until she landed in Denver.

A little under 3 hours separates me from an amazing future, Ali thought as she handed the gate attendant her ticket.

Little did she realize just how truthful that was.

* * *

The mountains were almost blindingly white as Ali stepped off the shuttle that escorted her from Denver International Airport over to the separate lot of rental car buildings. The air was warm, but she was familiar with the Rocky Mountain climate: mild and sunny on one side, cold and snowy on the other. That other side is where she wanted to be, and the black Range Rover Sport that James reserved for her would get her there. A few pieces of paperwork and a handshake later, Ali was sitting inside the massive SUV, ready to hit the Interstate.

Before pulling out, she checked her reflection in the mirror. My hair has somehow managed to remain fluffy. Could this day get any better? With her phone held in front of her, she took a picture of herself smiling behind the wheel. She sent it to James with the caption: Made it! Thanks for the killer ride ;-) Call you when I’m in Aspen.

With that, she maneuvered her way onto Interstate 70 and began her journey west. The highway was so full of memories, especially since the last time she drove it was last February. It was after she first waved hi to James in the lobby, after their first talk, after he showed up at her room and surprised the shit out of her by doing so…All firsts, all here. She last drove this highway on her way back to Pittsburgh, not sure of what the future held.

The moment called for music. Because she remembered to bring an auxiliary port with her, Ali was able to hook up her ipod and blast music the entire drive to Aspen. It was close to a 2.5 – 3 hour drive depending on conditions, but the sun was shining and the roads were in fantastic shape. She sped along the busy highway, making her way out of the sprawling urban maze of Denver and up into the rocky cliffs that would take her over the Divide. Giant pines covered in snow kept the landscape a constant mix of green and white. It was literally one of Ali’s favorite sights.

When she stopped to use the restroom at a gas station on the way, she saw James sent her three messages, two of which were pictures. One was of his eyes in yet another adorable “surprised look”, similar to the other he had taken. The second picture was of him lying on what looked like his hotel bed, eyes closed, head loosely tilted to the side. The caption read: Just got to Winnipeg. Dead tired. Miss u. Send me a pic of u sleeping later.

The third text made her laugh out loud:

That was kind of lame, wasn’t it? Sorry.

Ali was still giggling as she wrote out a response, telling him she couldn’t wait to see Sleepy James in real life lying next to her. After she hit Send, she got back on the highway and drove the rest of the way to Aspen.

When she pulled onto Main Street downtown, she didn’t know where to look first. Everything was decked out in a wintry, Nordic theme; the streets and buildings lit up with lights and snow covering the sidewalks and the streets. The sun was shining, and the surfaces of the ritzy buildings all the way down to the rustic-styled homes and shops seemed to glitter under their covering of snow.

Ali was in love. Absolutely in love.

This could NOT be any more romantic.

Eyes wide with wonder, she followed the voice of her GPS that was speaking to her from her cell phone. It led her first to the building where James said the keys would be waiting. She found the office easily, since it was huge and looked like a log home itself. After getting the keys and signing a few forms, she let her GPS lead her through some side streets and then up in elevation as she climbed away from the central point of the downtown area. She turned onto what she assumed was a dirt road, but was greatly covered in soft packed snow.

When Ali made the final turn and saw the house for the first time, she hit the breaks and her jaw fell open. In front of her loomed a massive log home, split in two by a spacious wood deck that wrapped about the breadth of the house. Giant floor-to-ceiling windows took up the entire front and rose up to meet at the front most peak of the house.

“What in the holy hell.” Ali’s mouth remained open as she stared. She hit the button that turned off all the music in the car so she could think. Process. Whatever.

“He’s nuts” she said, shaking her head. “He’s absolutely NUTS!”

She was so fucking excited she couldn’t contain it any longer. And then she squealed, pounding the steering wheel in absolute joy and laughing loudly.

“JAMES you crazy FUCK!” she yelled, laughing as the words spilled out of her mouth.

Ali pressed the gas and pulled up to the garage, which was actually the size of the home she grew up in. When she got out of the car, she gazed up at the immensity of the house. Just what the fuck was he thinking when he booked something this big?

Before she even went into the house, Ali trotted down the sidewalk that wrapped around the house in both directions. When she stood near the handsome front that faced out towards the mountains, she raised her cell phone and began snapping pics. She chose the best one of the bunch and sent it to James, Rebecca, and Brittany.

Too excited to wait any longer, she ran and retrieved her suitcase and various smaller bags from the Ranger Rover and hauled them up to a door on the side of the house near the garage. Trying all three keys on the keychain until one did the job, she opened the door to the home.

Yet again, her jaw dropped.

The first feeling she had was how homey it felt to be inside. The second feeling she had was how fucking turned on she was just looking at the place. Above her were vaulted ceilings held by giant wooden beams, exposed to support the vastness of the log home. Cedar floors polished and covered by plush area rugs led into the great room, where giant windows looked out at the shining lights of downtown Aspen far below in the valley. Tall lodge pole pines white with snow lined the property outside, making for a postcard-like view, even in the dim light of the evening.

Ali dropped everything and walked through the house in a dreamlike state. Slowly but steadily, more and more butterflies floated into her stomach and seemed to engulf her entire insides. A fireplace was the focal point in the center of the living room. Its shape was formed by giant river rock that rose up the length of the home’s front wall, right up until it became the chimney outside. It was a real fireplace, not a gas or electric one, and small logs and kindle were placed neatly nearby.

I’ll have to figure that out later because there’s no way I’m letting James figure it out she thought with a smile.

Turning now to head up the stairway, she saw an open balcony portion of a hallway above.

Of COURSE there’s a balcony!

With growing delight, Ali hurried up the wooden stairway and down the hall to check out where her and James would be staying. She stopped to look in the several other bedrooms. Each looked a bit small, so she knew she hadn’t come to the master bedroom yet. She wove in and out of the rooms, checking out the bathrooms, closets, the view of the living room from the balcony rail, until she finally treated herself to the master bedroom.

She flicked on the lights and saw just what she was hoping for: a massive bed, complete with rustic plaid coverings, giant lush pillows, a smaller fireplace, and a huge flat panel tv. Even more of a bonus was a doorway that led to the upper level porch outside. Ali turned the handle and saw that, of all things, the doorway actually led out to the outdoor Jacuzzi.

“Jesus.”

She stared at the massive tub. It could’ve fit ten people as tall as James. This week, however – it would have to cater to just one James, and her. She didn’t care one bit. I’ll find a way to use all that extra space. She walked past the hot tub to go to the wooden railing nearby. In the chill of the air, Ali took a second and looked out over the railing at the surrounding landscape. Everything was taking on a pale purplish-blue color; the snow turning the color of the waning sunset. It was absolutely gorgeous.

For the first time in all the hustle and bustle of her travel, Ali breathed in deep, never feeling more content than she did at that moment. She thought of James and how he must have planned for this, and wondered why he chose this property over others. She wished he could be there at that moment; to look out for the first time at the scenery she was staring at. She wanted to hug him and thank him for taking the time to plan this out, and to have chosen such a beautiful place.

Deciding to save her pensive thoughts for when James actually arrived, Ali knew she better to get to work. She had preparations of her own before he arrived the following night after his game in Denver, and since her spa day was tomorrow, she only had that evening to get everything ready.

The first item on her list was to figure out the fireplace. The second thing was to figure out how to get the Jacuzzi working. The third and probably the most important thing was to run back into town and buy groceries. If she knew one thing about James, it was that food was necessary, and in large quantities. The house was fully stocked with cookware, bakeware, and dinnerware…but it did not contain a single ounce of food, let alone enough food for a professional hockey player with a bottomless appetite.

With these tasks in mind, Ali spent the rest of the evening getting the place as cozy as she could for James’ arrival.

* * *

Back in Manitoba, James was livid. The Pens lost to the Jets, but they didn’t just lose – they had been sent home in embarrassment. They had more fouls than normal games, and James couldn’t even begin to understand why. He knew that he reached a new level of frustration at one point, and caused him to foul twice. It didn’t matter. They lost 5 to 1.

5 to fucking 1.

He sat in the locker room, already showered and not caring about how he looked. His tie was crooked and loosely done, and he didn’t bother to even put on his suit coat. Next to him sat a very dejected Paul Martin, who’d caused two turnovers in the game; one of which led to a goal for the Jets in the second period.

The pair of them waited for the others to get their stuff to the equipment managers, get dressed, or just get their neutral faces on. That was proving to be a difficult thing for the team to do.

As they waited, James checked the messages on his phone, hoping to see more pictures from Ali. He smiled when he saw he had two missed messages, both of which were fairly recent. Earlier when the game had ended, even before he showered, James had seen the first picture of the rental house through the eyes of Ali. He was as stunned as she must have been. And I’m not even there yet, he thought, feeling proud of himself for his choice in rental homes.

He clicked on the first of her two latest messages, and his eyebrows immediately rose. “Damn….” he uttered, not realizing he’d said anything out loud.

Paul looked over at him. “Huh?”

James lifted his eyes. “Nothing.” He went back to looking at the picture Ali sent. It was of her naked, wet legs, one crossed casually over the other, inside a spacious bathtub. Frothy bubbles covered the part of her that James wished he could see. The caption below it read: Wish you were here right now.

Leaning over just a bit more, Paul tried to see what James was looking at. When he saw a pair of bare legs, he laughed. “Holy fuck, Nealer.”

“What?” He made a face at him.

“Ali sending ya some good stuff?”

“I don’t know, I can’t seem to look at them in peace.” James gave Paulie a cocky smile before moving on to Ali’s second picture. This one was even better.

“Holy f—“ He caught himself, glancing over to see if Paulie was looking again. He wasn’t, and he was glad. This picture now showed everything James wished he could’ve seen in the last picture, and it was a major, major turn on.

“I’m not looking, don’t worry.” Paul rolled his eyes, but stayed facing forward. “Unless you don’t care if I look—“

“—VIP only, Paulie. Sorry.” James held his phone up to his face a little more, pinching and opening the picture to make it larger. Shamelessly, he zoomed in on Ali’s soapy wet nipples, dying for a taste. It’d been way, way, way too long since he had one of those in his mouth.

Fuck, I can’t wait to get this game over with tomorrow. He was dying. Being on the road was tough enough, but knowing he had a diamond engagement ring in his suitcase and a girlfriend that oozed sex from every inch of her body waiting in a house in the woods of Colorado….it was downright excruciating. He wanted to be there right now. He wanted to be in bed with her and smell her perfume and touch her hair and kiss her lips.

James shifted on the bench, trying to adjust himself in hopes of downplaying the hard-on that was beginning to grow. He reached over and drew his peacoat around his lap, nervously running a hand through his hair. Flicking his eyes quickly over to see if Paul noticed, he relaxed a little as Paul seemed unaware.

Tonight needs to hurry. Tomorrow needs to hurry. And then everything needs to slow the fuck down to a damn crawl.

“BUS IS HERE” Bylsma yelled. He slapped a paper in his hand and led the way towards the exit of the locker room. James stood and quickly slipped his coat on, buttoning it down to the very last button to cover the bulge in his pants.

As the players grabbed their bags and began the procession towards the busses outside, James responded to Ali’s texts as he walked out.

That gave me a hard-on and I’m still in the locker room. Tease. I’ll be there soon so save a little of that for me.

He slipped the phone into his pocket, feeling himself come down a little now that they were on the move.

Just one more day.
One more game and one day.

* * *

Notes

Want to see the house? Here it is! :)

http://imagesus.homeaway.com/mda01/7f396747-1e1e-4750-a555-3172e90848b1.1.10

But of course you guys knew I was doing research on this, right? Riiiiight? haha. Enjoy!