As we step off the rink a moment later, Vivian grabs my hand to balance herself. I lead her inside, where we can warm up and change our skates into shoes.
“Jasper, I have to admit, I’ve been wanting to do that for days.”
“You mean skating?”
“No, I meant kissing you.”
“Really?”
She nods. “I’ve been attracted to you from the first moment I saw you.”
“I expected that based on a few of your comments.” I look around the room, making sure it’s empty. “But I thought you needed more time before anything happened between us.”
“True, but something just clicked into place after that kiss. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“You don’t have to, as I feel the same way. I’ve never felt like this before, so it’s all new to me.”
We sit there in comfortable silence, just looking at each other. I can see the desire in her eyes, and I know she can see it reflected back in mine. “Jasper—”
I don’t let her finish her sentence before I lean in to kiss her again. This time, the kiss is filled with passion from the moment our lips touch. Our tongues move in unison, exploring as if we’ve been starved for this kind of intimacy. Even with all the layers, I can feel my body responding to her touch, and I know she can feel it, too. But this isn’t the place to continue this.
“Let’s continue this at my place,” I tell her, breaking our kiss. She nods, the dazed look on her face.
* * *
Later that night after dinner, more kissing and another Christmas movie, it’s time for the sauna. Fuck, I’ve been missing the heat of the Finnish sauna. Saunas abroad don’t compare to the ones back home. And I’m lucky to have a private sauna in my apartment.
I turn to Vivian, who is snuggled in a blanket on the other side of the couch, and ask, “Would you like to experience the authentic Finnish sauna?”
“Sure,” she responds cautiously. “How hot will it be? Someone told me it can reach over eighty degrees Celsius. That’s pretty hot, right? Like over 175 Fahrenheit?”
“That sounds about right.”
Vivian looks slightly hesitant but nods her head in agreement. “I’ll just grab my bikini first.”
“Where do you think you need that?”
She stares at me like I don’t speak English. “Um, in the sauna? I can wear a towel, but a bikini is simpler.”
“I don’t know how to tell you this, but us Finns typically go to the sauna naked. And it’ll only be you and me, so no strangers.”
Her expression morphs from hesitant enthusiasm to confusion. “Naked? As in completely undressed?”
“Yeah, that’s what naked usually means.”
She seems stunned. “But we only just met.”
“So?”
“Isn’t it weird for us to be sitting there together without anything covering us?”
“Nope. It’s how we do things here. Sauna isn’t a sexual experience unless you make it that way, of course.” I joke, causing her to blush. “But right now, I just want to share some of my culture with you and help you relax after a long day. If it helps, we can both put on swimwear. What do you think?”
She still seems uncertain. “Are you sure?”
“Of course. I won’t force you to be naked.”
Relieved, she says, “Thanks.”
