It was like driving through a postcard. The road was dark and both sides were lined with big trees, heavy with fallen slow. Nova was finally allowing herself to be excited about getting away from the city for a weekend. The Christmas holiday had drained her and she was tired of crowded malls and parties or get-togethers every night. When Hannah had suggested she come with them to their cabin, she had jumped at the idea. They’d promised quiet time, good food and company, but no crazy parties or crowds. It sounded perfect to her.
She knew she should stay in the city and work, but this latest assignment was proving difficult. She felt like she’d lost her mojo and couldn’t get excited enough to take any decent photos. She was stuck and felt uninspired. She hoped a change of scenery would help.
So here she was, hour three of driving along country roads covered in snow. She was alone and with the soothing voice of Eddie Vedder drifting through the speakers, she felt herself slowly relaxing for the first time in months.
Nova had been at the cabin once before during the summer, but it looked completely different in the dark and in the midst of winter. For a moment, she was worried she had taken a wrong turn and mentally prepared herself to admitting she was lost, but then she saw the sign she’d been looking for, ‘Weathervane Cottage’. The name always made her smile and as she turned into the driveway, she saw the intricate ornament that had given name to the cottage. It was Brian’s grandfather who’d made the stunning weathervane that proudly sat on the chimney of the main house. The dragon had his wings spread wide and his face upturned to the sky.
As she steered her car into the carport, she realized that hers was the only one there. Hannah had told her that they might be late since Brian had a meeting to finish up. Nova blew a kiss to Eddie Vedder and turned off the ignition and got out. The cold air wrapped itself around her, she took a deep breath and let it fill her lungs. She felt invigorated and smiled as the last few weeks melted away.
Grabbing her overnight bag and camera, she headed towards the front door and quickly found the key hidden under the pot of cattails as she’d been instructed. She walked in and closed the door behind her as she turned on the little lamp situated on the table by the entrance. Dropping her bag, she just stared at the open space in front of her. Like last time, the log cottage took her breath away. It was open and exposed with wooden beams throughout. She felt at home instantly and the city was at once forgotten.
The back wall was completely covered with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the lake and the moon was reflected across the water through the falling snow. It was stunningly beautiful and it made her think of poetry.
The knock on the door startled her.
She was puzzled why Hannah and Brian would knock since she had left the door unlocked for them.
“I was starting to think I was spending the night by myself,” she said as she opened the door.
A brief moment of fear washed over her as she was suddenly faced with a strange man out in the middle of nowhere. Alone. In the dark.
“Hi,” he said and smiled.
She kept staring into his dark eyes and willing her body to decide on fight or flight.
“I’m Martin,” the stranger said and held out his hand.
Nova looked down at his outstretched hand and then back to his face. He must have sensed her hesitation.
“I am a friend of Hannah and Brian,” he said and smiled tentatively.
“They didn’t tell me someone else was coming this weekend?” she said after she finally found her voice. Nova started to relax a little bit, but it would have been easy for someone to find out the names of who owned the cottage.
“Oh… well it was kinda a last-minute thing that I was able to make it up here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
She watched him as he dialed a number. He kept looking at her, still smiling as he brought the phone to his ear.
“Brian, it’s Martin. I am here at the cottage, standing in front of a woman who is looking like she is either going to call the cops on me or smack me with a baseball bat. Can you assure her that I am not a serial killer on a spree?”
Nova could hear Brian’s laughter through the phone as it was passed to her.
“Hey, I take it you know this gentleman in front of me?” She felt slightly foolish as Brian reassured her she had nothing to worry about.
She disconnected the call and handed back the phone. Nova couldn’t stop herself from laughing at the whole situation.
“Hello Martin, my name is Nova,” she said and reached out her hand to his. “I apologize for the less than warm welcome.”
“I can’t really say I blame you.” His cold hand wrapped around hers and held it there, firmly.
“One can’t be too careful these days, one never knows what lurks in the shadows.” He winked at her.
“That doesn’t really make me feel relaxed,” she stepped aside to let him in.
Nova watched him as he walked inside the cottage and dropped his bag on the floor next to hers.
“Wow,” was all he said as he was welcomed with the same view that had taken her breath away moments ago.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Nova smiled as she made her way into the kitchen. “Can I get you anything to drink?”
Martin walked over to stand beside her as she looked through the fully stocked fridge.
“They have already been up here?” he asked.
“No, they usually have the old couple that looks after this place make sure it’s stocked before they come up,” she said and took out two beers and handed him one.
Nova watched as Martin popped open the bottle and took a long sip. He looked content.
“Just what I needed,” he said and clinked his bottle to hers.
“Yes, I couldn’t have said it better,” she said as she drank from the beer and realized how cold it was in here.
“Would you mind getting the fire started and I will see what I can dig up to eat?” Nova asked as she started looking through the cupboards.
They sure had stocked up with plenty of food but Nova didn’t really want to spend the night cooking, and quite honestly, it was not really her forte anyway.
Her attention shifted when she could hear loud cursing from the living room.
Nova walked in to find Martin kneeling in front of the fireplace while trying to get the fire to start. It looked like he was not having much luck.
She finally took the time to actually look at him. He had taken off his coat and thrown it on the couch next to the fireplace. As he tried to stoke the fire alive, his back muscles moved fluidly under his grey sweater and she couldn’t help but admire him. Her eyes kept moving down his back until she reached his ass. Nova raised her eyebrow in appreciation and smiled.
“For fuck sakes,” he growled as he once again tried to light the fire.
“Do you need help?” she laughed as she walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.
Martin turned his head and looked right up at her. She could see his frustration flash across his face before he smiled back at her.
“Clearly I have forgotten my boy scout years?” He stood up and handed her the matches.
Nova got down on her knees and struck the match against the box. She leaned in and put the lit match to the tinder. She gave it a moment to kindle before she slowly blew air to fuel the fire further. It didn’t take long before the crackling sound of the wood filled the room. She turned her face up towards Martin who stood with his arms crossed and with a slightly impressed look on his face.
“I’ll be dammed. I guess it needed a girl scout instead,” he said and held out his hand to help her up on her feet again.
“I am just missing the uniform,” she said as she took off her own coat and laid it next to his.
“Oh, now that’s an image that will keep me warmer than the fire,” he said as he looked her over.
All of a sudden, she wished that she would have worn something less casual then her jeans and black hoody. She hadn’t worn any makeup and she knew she was a mess after her long drive, but it was too late to worry about it.
She didn’t know if she was blushing at him looking her over or the thought of him imagining her in that uniform. Either way, she felt the heat caress her cheeks.
He just kept watching her.
“Well, now that we have the heat going, how about some food?” Nova said and walked towards the kitchen again.
“Now that is something I know I can do!” Martin said as he walked in after her.
“Really?” Nova stopped and turned around quickly, almost bumping into him.
He put his hands on her arms as he smiled.
“I might not be able to start a fire, but I sure as hell can make some food.”
“Oh great, that saves us from the peanut butter and jam sandwich I was going to make,” Nova said seriously.
“I really hope you’re kidding.” Martin looked appalled.
“Sadly, I am not very good in the kitchen.” She couldn’t help herself from laughing at his expression. “Well, at least not when it comes to cooking.”
“Oh, there you go teasing again.” He kept looking at her with a glint in his eyes like he had a secret only he was privy to.
Martin removed his hands from her arms and walked over to the fridge and started rooting around. Nova grabbed her beer and pushed herself up on the counter to watch him while he cooked. Hannah would kill her if she caught her sitting there, but she just could not give up this wonderful vantage point of watching him.
He kept humming something as he started picking out some things from the fridge before moving on to the cupboard. Nova sipped her beer, enjoying seeing this stranger as he moved around the kitchen, looking very comfortable.
She didn’t say anything, just observed him as he looked immersed in his task. She realized that she had never really watched a man cook before. It was intriguing seeing him so at ease. She admired it and realized she was finding it strongly erotic.
“I would normally offer to help, but I must admit, I am enjoying watching instead.”
“Oh, I don’t mind having a beautiful woman watching me.” Martin smiled as he put pasta into the already boiling water.
As Nova wondered what else he might be good at besides cooking, her phone rang. She jumped down from the counter and went to dig it out of her coat.
“Hi, where are you guys?” Nova walked into the kitchen as she listened to Hannah explain why they were late. “Oh, don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine. Martin is actually cooking now, so unless he is planning on poisoning me or something, I think we are fine.”
Nova saw Martin shake his head and laugh at her as he scooped some sour cream into a bowl.
“Yes, I’m sure. We’ll play nice and we’ll see you tomorrow morning,” she said and ended the call.
“Tomorrow morning?” Martin asked surprisingly.
“Yes, they decided to turn around and head back to the city for the night since the weather got really bad. They are going to wait and drive up tomorrow morning instead,” she responded and scooted herself back up on the counter. “So, you’re stuck alone with me for the night."
He grabbed his beer and took a sip while watching her intently.
“I can think of worse ways to spend an evening.” He smiled at her before grabbing the pot of pasta to drain it.
Nova could not quite decide what she was feeling at the moment, but for once she wouldn’t dwell on it too much and instead just enjoy the evening.
“What are you making?” she inquired with curiosity as Martin started mixing in the sour cream into the pasta.
“Poor Man’s Fettuccini,” he responded and added a can of flaked salmon into it.
She jumped down from the counter and walked over to him as he stirred it all together before holding up the spoon for her to taste.
“Fettuccini? You just made that in this short time?” she asked in disbelief as she wrapped her lips around the spoon.
“Oh mmm,” Nova mumbled as the taste of the food delighted her senses. “Okay, I am very impressed. You must be some sort of magician to be able to make that so quickly and make it taste so damn good.”
She walked over and brought out two plates for them and handed him one with a smile. “I would like some more, please.”
“Interesting, you are impressed by this food?” Martin scooped up pasta and handed her back the plate before picking up his own. “I would be able to make your knees weak with a proper meal, like coq au vin.”
She couldn’t help but look at his mouth as he spoke.
“You make that sounds delightfully naughty.” She took her plate and walked out into the living room and sat down on the big white couch and waited for him to join her.
The heat from the crackling fire warmed her as she took another bite of the food. She truly was impressed with this and how effortlessly he had made it.
Martin sat down across from her and they both ate in silence in front of the fire. Nova felt comfortable in his presence and wondered about him and why she’d never met him before.
"So, tell me, how do you know Brian?" Nova placed her empty plate on the table in front of her before leaning back on the plush couch. She pulled her legs up and got comfortable as she watched him finish his own food.
"We grew up together and managed to stay friends throughout the years."
"I’m just surprised I haven't heard your name before."
"Brian doesn’t really call me Martin, he calls me Winters."
"Oh hell, you’re Winters?" She exclaimed in surprise.
Martin’s contagious laugh echoed through the room as Nova just shook her head. "Then I’ve heard plenty about you."
"As long as you don't hold any of it against me," he chuckled.
"It's hard not to! Some of the stories he’s told me... You two sure got into a lot of trouble when you were younger."
"Yeah, we’ve had some fun. But we’ve calmed down and grown up, you know," he said and tried to sound convincing.
Somehow, she didn't think he had calmed down too much, at least not by judging from that mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Well, it's nice to finally meet you and get a face to the name," she said and smiled.
"It's nice to finally meet you too."
"Oh?" Nova looked at him suspiciously.
"I have heard about you from both Brian and Hannah," he said as he stood up and grabbed their plates and started walking out into the kitchen.
She wanted to know what he’d heard and wondered what her friends might’ve said about her. Martin came back and handed her another beer before sitting down across from her again.
"So, what have you heard?" she asked and smiled. "It can't be too bad since anything bad would’ve involved Hannah so that means she would have to come clean as well."
Martin laughed and took a sip of his beer. “If I remember correctly, you and Hannah both grew up in Sweden and moved here together to go to school and that you’re now a photographer for some fancy magazine?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say it’s fancy, but yes, I am a photographer. One that seems to be on a hiatus right now. I can’t seem to find the desire or urge to pick up my camera lately.”
“Why’s that?” he asked sincerely.
“I guess I haven’t found anything to inspire me in a while.”
"You’re very intriguing, Nova.”
The way he was observing her made her shift slightly in her seat. It was like he was looking right into her.
"From your reaction when you arrived, I assume you have never had a chance to visit the cottage before?"
"No, this is the first time I’ve been here and it's beautiful. I'm looking forward to seeing more in the daylight," he said and looked out over the lake. "I’m slightly disappointed though that I won't get the sauna and beer night I was promised by Brian tonight."
"It's funny how he has completely taken to this Scandinavian tradition."
"Yes, he’s been bragging about it since they got the sauna built out by the lake."
"I was thrilled when they told me they had. I used it when I was here during the summer, but it's not the same thing as when you use it in winter."
"Why is that?" he asked.
"Well, you want the contrasts of hot and cold. In the summer, I want to cool off, not sit in a hot sauna."
"I like how you say that," he said as he looked at her mouth.
"Say what?" she wondered.
"Sauna. It rolls off your tongue quite delectably. I can hear your accent come through a bit more."
She knew she was blushing.
"It's probably the beer that makes it more noticeable." Nova took another sip and tried not to squirm under his watchful eyes.
Nova knew it was not the beer, but the fact that he was making her nervous. He was knocking her off her game and that just wouldn't do.
"So you were expecting a night in the sauna?"
"Yes, but I suppose I can wait for tomorrow."
"Why don't we go in it tonight?" she asked and smiled at him.
Nova could see Martin thinking it over before saying anything. Once again, he was looking at her intently.
"You and me?" His eyes were locked with hers.
"Yes." She stood up and walked towards the patio doors. "You coming?"
He raised his eyebrows and then got up and walked towards her. "Yes."
Nova could feel his soft breath against her face. The mischievous glint in his eyes was replaced with something else, something she couldn't quite place. Although she didn't know him, she wanted to reach up and press her lips against his. She reluctantly resisted the simmering urge and hoped he couldn't see what she was feeling.
For the first time in a long time, she wanted to be in someone's company besides her own. She felt delightfully spontaneous and willing to go with the moment and see what might happen. She felt relaxed and excited in his company, something she hadn’t felt in a while.
"Come on, let's do this." Nova finally tore her eyes away from him and turned around to open the door. The cold air came rushing in and made her gasp.
"Oh fuck, not sure if this was a good idea," Martin said as he looked around for his coat.
"Oh, you wuss." Nova laughed at his expression as she took off towards the sauna.
The snow was lying thick and undisturbed as she waded through it, creating a little path that Martin followed. She looked over her shoulder to see him close behind her, cursing under his breath to the cold. Nova embraced it, knowing that soon enough heat would seep into every pore of her body.
Nova reached the sauna and placed her hand on the curved wooden handle. The smell of the cedar triggered her senses and wonderful childhood memories came over her. Countless hours had been spent in saunas heating herself up. It was a tradition she had taken for granted and not missed until it was not part of her life anymore. She realized it was the small things like this that made a difference.
She was startled back to reality when she felt Martin's hands on her hips.
"Move out of the way, woman, let me in," he urged as he pushed her through the door.
"You really don't like the cold, do you?" She couldn't help but laugh at him as he quickly closed the door behind them to shut out the chill.
"Not even a little bit," he stated.
"Well, then let's get you warmed up."
He raised his eyebrow at her statement and there was no mistaking the look in his eyes. Once again she had to fight the urgent need to touch him.
He took a step closer.
"And how do you plan on doing that?"
"Take off your clothes," she said calmly.
She could see his lips part to say something but he just kept watching her, gauging what she had said. She didn't feel cold anymore. Heat was spreading achingly slowly through her body.
Nova felt at a loss for words as she saw the tip of his tongue touch his bottom lip. She had to take a deep breath before her eyes found his again.
"In the back, you will find a little side door, you can take off your clothes there and grab a towel," she said and smiled teasingly.
"Uh huh," he said and narrowed his eyes at her before turning around.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
