Saving Me

After four hours Eva was ready to drop. “Alright, enough for today, that was a great start on the short program.” Adrian said with a pleased smiled. “Take Gabriel to The Oasis.” He said to Eva. “Are you busy this afternoon?” Eva wiped the sweat from her forehead, delicately and looked up at him. Gabriel shrugged. “Not really, just taking my junk out of the boxes and moving it around. What’s the Oasis?” She winked. “A surprise. I’ll meet you out front in ten?” She sat and tugged off her skates. “Sure thing.” She stood with a smile and walked off to the locker rooms. Gabriel looked at Adrian. “Do you have some paperwork for me to look over?” Adrian nodded. “I do, just read everything and we can sign you on tomorrow morning. Any questions in-between call me or ask Eva.” The gay man tilted his head to the side, regarding him seriously. “She’s a good girl, has a heart of gold. She’s got her issues, but she’s loyal as a damn terrier.”

Gabriel sat and casually unlaced his skates. “Are you warning me off?” His tone was easy, non threatening. Adrian laughed. “Hell no, I just want to make sure that she’s safe with you. She’s a baby sister to me and as much as I’d like to warn you off…I can’t.” Gabriel looked up. “Why not?” “Cause she’s a big girl and can handle herself. But the ‘scene’ she described earlier, wasn’t just about the music.” Gabriel nodded. “I picked up on that.” Adrian smiled with a secret in his eyes. “No, I don’t think so. But I think you will.” He looked at his watch. “You’ve got one minute before you’re late.” Adrian waved and walked off. Leaving important words unsaid.

They arrived at the same time and Eva smiled that heart stopping smile. “You ready?” Gabriel nodded and took her gym bag from her. “I am. My car or yours?” Her eyes twinkled. “Mine.” He nodded and followed her out, whistling appreciatively when she walked up to a maroon Corvette. “Wow, that’s your car?” She laughed and opened the back hatch. “You say that like it’s a man law that no woman should drive a vette.” He put their things in the trunk and looked down at her with a grin. “I did no such thing. I was about to tell you how hot that is. A beautiful woman in a fast car.” She tossed her head scoffing and walked around to her door. Eva hadn’t heard him follow her, so when his hand appeared on her door handle she turned her head quickly. He was opening the door for her. She thought in shock. “Thank you.” She slid into her car and let him shut the door, watching the predatory way he walked. Like a huge jungle cat that knows it’s the king of the Amazon. He slid in beside her, sighing in bliss as she brought the engine to life.

They sped through the quiet streets of Star Hollow; a sleepy little town in New England. Eva drove like a car booster, and Gabriel couldn’t help but be impressed. She was one hell of a woman. They pulled onto a gravel paved road, lined on either side with Cyprus trees. They turned a corner and Gabriel caught his breath. Looming ahead was an immense version of the Taj Mahal. She pulled the Vette under an awning and a young man came out to open her door. “Hello Miss Eva.” She smiled at the valet. “Hi Teddy, having a good day?” The boy blushed. “Yes ma’am.” She handed him the keys. “Gabriel, do you happen to have trunks in your gym bag?” He nodded. “Good, grab’em.” He was curious what this place was but he got his swim trunks out of his bag and joined Eva on the white stairs. She linked her arm through his and led him up into the reception hall.

He looked around at the Moroccan theme; everything was in shades of brilliant blues and greens. Gold painted pottery and wrought iron arches, decorated the walls. “What is this place?” Eva smiled up at him. “A Turkish Bath slash Spa.” A man dressed in white pants and a long tunic approached. “Mademoiselle Eva, ah! Delightful to see you.” Eva smiled. “Omar, this is Gabriel Hunter my new skating partner. Gabriel this is Omar, he owns the Oasis. ” Gabriel shook hands with the obviously French man and smiled. “Welcome, welcome to you both. Cheri, do you need anything to drink, some cheese perhaps?” Eva looked up at Gabriel. “Are you hungry?” He nodded and Eva turned back to Omar. “Some hot tea and that tray of stuff you gave me last time would be wonderful.” Omar bowed at the waist. “Oui, madame, please take your time in the bathing rooms. You have an hour before your scheduled appointments.”

Eva smiled and tugged on Gabriel’s arm leading him through a pair of huge doors. She pointed him to the men’s locker rooms. “You can change in there. There’ll be an attendant in there to give you a locker for your things. Change into your trunks and grab one of the white robes and a pair of slippers. I’ll meet you out here when you’re done.” Bewildered he did as she said, going in and letting his mouth drop. It looked like a locker room only ten times a luxurious. He found the attendant standing ready with a smile. “Would you like a locker?” Gabriel nodded. “Please.” The young man handed him a key and led him to a changing area. The place looked like a harem. It was amazing. “Before you can get into the Bath’s we ask that you shower, there are towels just there,” The man pointed to the fluffy stack. “And the stalls are around the corner.” Gabriel nodded. “Thanks.”

Eva was waiting for him, smiling when he came out with the robe untied and flapping around his hips. “Ready?” “Eva what are we doing here? This is really neat but kinda weird.” She laughed. “It is isn’t it? But its really fun too. I’ve booked you a massage and a pedicure, and we’ve got a little time to kill so we’ll go for a swim in the pools first. Come on, I’ll show you.” She pushed open another pair of double doors, regal as a queen. He gaped when he saw the six gleaming pools, all connected. The room was dotted with pillars and arches; it really was a Turkish bath. There were a few other people in the pool area. Some waved at Eva and she smiled back. “The pools with blue and silver tiles are cold, and the ones with red and gold tiles are hot. The farthest pools are the most extreme in temperature, the first two are moderate and the middle ones are medium temperatures.” He was amazed. “Which ones do you like the best?” He asked her. She smiled. “The really hot one and the really cold one. You’re supposed to jump in the cold first, and then the hot. But I go the other way.”

She led him to the steaming pool and dropped her robe from her body. Gabriel felt his mouth go dry. Her suit was red, of course, a simple two piece. The top was like a normal bra, but the bottoms. Whoa baby, they tied on the sides and his fingers itched to un-tie them. She walked down the steps into the pool and sighed in bliss. She looked up at him. “You coming in or are you just going to watch me?” He shed his robe noticing the appreciative once over she gave him, and joined her. He groaned when the hot water attacked his sore muscles. “God.” He sighed. She smiled and stepped deeper into the pool. “Our sponsor pays for us to come here. He calls it maintenance, I call it heaven. We can come here and use the baths whenever we feel like it. When you sign on you’ll become a member here and all you’ll have to do is show up and enjoy. If you want a spa appointment you can call ahead and they’ll do their best to accommodate you.” Gabriel looked at her with a crooked smile. “Bribery to sign on?” Eva laughed at him. “Do you need it?” Gabriel looked at her hotly. “Nope.”

She stood and got out of the heated pool, and jumped nimbly into the cold pool. She came up gasping. “God that’s always a rush. You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” She said seeing him grimace. “I think I’ll wait till next time.” She nodded and got out quickly, wrapping her robe around her and stepping into her slippers. “Come on out, Omar will have out snacks ready.” Gabriel reluctantly got out and dried off. She led him to another hall way and into a room filled with plush pillows and Grecian looking divians. Eva sank onto one of the fainting chairs and tucked her feet under her. She poured him some tea in a little glass painted with gold etching. She threw in a dollop of honey from a little pot and handed it to him. “It’s really good.” She encouraged and poured one for herself. There was also a tray of fruit, cheese and breads of varying kind. “You said you booked me a massage and a pedicure?” He asked as he leaned back in his own chair. He could get used to this. “Yup, both for me too.” “What’s a pedicure?”

Eva stared at him like he’d grown horns. “You’ve never had a pedicure. Oh baby,” She cooed sympathetically. “How do you take care of your feet when they hurt?” He shrugged. “Ice packs and Tylenol.” She winced. “You are going to die and go to heaven then Gabe. You get to soak your feet in a Jacuzzi, then the nail tech will buff the calluses off your heels and so on. Then trim your toenails so you don’t get in-growns from your skates. Then she’ll massage your feet and you’ll just die.” Gabriel quirked an eyebrow. “Sounds very girly.” Eva only smiled with a knowing look on her face as she sipped her tea. “We’ll see.”

Gabriel felt like he was melting into his chair. The woman rubbing on his feet smiled. “First time here?” Gabriel nodded. “It is, my partner brought me. I don’t think I’m leaving under my own power.” She laughed and tucked little hot stones between his toes. He shuddered in bliss. From across the room he saw Eva wink at him, still sipping her damn tea as she received the same treatment. “You’re going to skate with Miss Eva?” The lady asked shocked. “I am. We’re a new paired team.” Her face split into a huge grin. “That’s wonderful, I can’t wait to see it.” Gabriel realized then, that he was going to be a minor celebrity. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. “Me either.” He agreed, looking distractedly at Eva. She was laughing and nodding to the woman at her feet. It hit him again how damn gorgeous she was. It was like she carried her own sunbeam around with her that filled the room whenever she entered. After leaving the pedicure room he was led off for his massage. The kinks, knots and tight muscles of four years melted away under the masseuse’s hands. She nearly put him to sleep, but them came more hot stones and he smiled realizing Eva was right. Died and gone to heaven.

When he was done his masseuse led him to another large room. This one definitely looked like a harem. Gauzy curtains were draped everywhere, people lounged amid stacks of pillows talking and laughing quietly. He found Eva lying on a huge granite slab her arms pillowed on her head, looking sated. He watched her for a while, just enjoying looking at her. The smooth arch of her back, the way it rose and felt with every breath. He skimmed his eyes over her rear, nodding in approval and down her thighs to her tiny little feet. Fairy feet for such a tall woman.

And then as if sensing him, her eyes opened and gazed at him with a welcoming smile. He made his way over to her and sat down on the slab. Realizing it was hot to the touch. “What is this?” He asked surprised. Eva sighed dreamily. “One big hot stone. It’s heated underneath by a huge furnace. It’s wonderful. Lay down.” She urged. He slid off his robe and lay on his belly next to her. At once the heat seeped into him, a soothing sleepy heat. He could smell the oils on her skin, musky and alluring. Patchouli and jasmine if he wasn’t mistaken, and he was very glad he was lying face down. “This place is huge …I can’t believe there are places like this.” He sighed. Eva pushed up and leaned on her elbows gazing down at him. “As far as I know this is the only one in the state. Pretty lucky that we live and train here huh?” Her voice held a coaxing note that told him she still wasn’t sure he was going to sign on with her. He only smiled as he rolled over onto his back. He covered her hand with his, moving his thumb back and forth over her wrist. “Thank you for bringing me Eva. I think we’re going to be good together.” He let the double meaning of his words hang in the air, closed his eyes and melted into the stone.

Eva felt her heart stutter, felt the way her muscles quivered. She tried to find reasons why their relationship couldn’t be anything other than professional. But she failed miserably, a smug voice of reason taunting her. “Lots of pair figure skaters are lovers, some are even married…” She let her eyes wander his body, the hard muscles of his arms, and the nice sculpted planes of his chest. She was dying to let her fingers trail over that smooth tanned skin. He had a tattoo around his bicep. A Celtic band knotted around the steely muscle. She found it overwhelmingly attractive. He had such…presence. Even drowsing he exuded power, sensuality. She was tempted to set her lips to his throat and nuzzle him like a cat. There was no hair on his chest and only a light dusting on his legs. Damn fine legs they were too. Powerful, even. His hips weren’t narrow, nor were they too wide. His whole body was that of a Greek god. Perfectly sculpted; but her favorite muscle was the one that ran along his hips. That V shaped muscle that led down, down to his…her body heated but not from the stone. Nope, that was just pure powerful lust. “We’ll be better than good. You watch.” She murmured; he opened one eye and then the other letting his emerald eyes rivet her to the core. “Come on, there’s a steam room you’ll love.” He let her pull him up and lead him into a room so filled with steam he could barely see.

Good. He tugged on Eva’s hand and pulled her into his arms. “What…?” He tipped her head up and laid his lips on hers; she stiffened slightly, but then sighed and relaxed into him. He rubbed his lips back and forth over hers, taking small sips of her mouth. Her hands slid over his steam slicked chest and around his neck. He growled at how good just that simple touch felt and tightened his arms around her. Her entire body yielded to him, her curves fitting perfectly into his hollows. He caught her little moan in his mouth and pulled gently on her bottom lip. Immediately she opened to him and he swooped inside, drinking her in. She tasted like mint and honey from her tea, God she was intoxicating. When they finally parted they were both gasping for air. Her head fell to his shoulder and he felt her trembling, her breath coming in pants across his heated skin. “I think we need to take a dip in that really cold pool.” She said breathlessly. Gabriel grinned and rubbed his hands up and down her back soothingly. “I think you’re right.”