by Radclyffe
She dragged her hands through her hair and looked away. There was a long moment of silence between us before she turned back to me with a tight smile and wrapped her arm around my waist. “Come on, let’s get you settled in.”
She checked my ankle again. Her touch was like fire on my skin. “You’ll be better by morning, the swelling’s going down already.”
We settled down back to back in the sleeping bag and, exhausted, I slept surprisingly well. When I opened my eyes, she was the first thing I saw, lying on her side facing me, sleeping peacefully. I studied her rugged features: dark eyebrows, straight sharp nose, chiseled jawline and beautiful soft lips. A lock of her hair fell across her forehead. I brushed it aside with my fingertips.
“Good morning.” She yawned, opening her eyes. “Feeling okay?”
I nodded, words escaping me in the face of her stunning good looks, even after a night spent sleeping outside on the ground. I probably looked like I’d been dragged through a hedge backward.
She propped herself up on her elbow, her head resting on the palm of her hand. “I always go for a swim first thing in the morning. Wanna join me? The water would be good for your ankle.”
She tossed me my T-shirt, helped me to my feet and knelt down to inspect my ankle. It was still tender but nothing like the day before. “You should be able to walk today as long as it’s not too far.”
Seeing her in front of me on her knees was having the kind of effect I wouldn’t want her to see. I took a step back, hoping that she hadn’t noticed the wet spot forming in my panties. The heat in her eyes told me she had definitely noticed. I looked away and motioned toward the river. I leaned on her and hobbled to the river. Seeing the waterfall up close in the early morning light was mesmerizing, like something out of a fantasy movie. The water spilled over the edge of massive boulders, crashing into the pool below. The rocks, the crystal-blue water. It was…
“Breathtaking, huh? Come on,” she said, grabbing my hand, pulling me forward. “Let’s swim.”
“I can’t,” I said. “No swimsuit.”
She released my hand and laughed as she pulled her sports bra off. “No need.”
My mouth fell open as she stripped off her clothes and dove into the water. Her body was so beautiful, muscular and golden brown. I watched as she swam to the pool beneath the waterfall.
“Hurry,” she yelled, waving to me.
Remembering that I hadn’t experienced anything similar to a shower in three days, I quickly stripped off the T-shirt and thong and joined her in the water. She’d already seen me topless. Hell, she’d spent the night in the same sleeping bag with me in nothing but my thong. At least in the water I’d be submerged.
The icy-cold water made me gasp but it soothed my aching body as I swam to meet her, and I felt refreshed.
“This is the first time I’ve been here with someone.”
“Really?” I said. “What’s so special about this place?”
“Let me show you.” She swam to where the water was falling into the pool.
I swam closely behind her, and when she disappeared under the surface I did too. The water was pounding into the pool, creating a magical sea of bubbles underwater. I swam fast to keep up with her, trying not to stare at the long, shapely legs or firm ass in front of me. Within seconds we surfaced.
She lifted herself from the water and leaned over to help me.
“What is this place?” I asked.
“Nature’s canvas.”
I stood in awe, trembling, hugging myself. We were in a massive cave behind the waterfall, shut away from the outside world. Glimmers of sharp sunlight slipped through the cascading water, illuminating and reflecting off the stone walls. On the other side of the waterfall the water drained from the pool, splashing over the rocks, creating a small stream that lazily cut its way down the mountainside. The rocks we stood on were polished smooth and I slipped a little as I turned to look around.
“Careful,” she teased, “don’t aggravate your injury.”
Playfully she grabbed my hands, lacing her fingers between mine. Dangerously close, I attempted to move away from her, but my back was pressed firm against the cold stone wall. She kept hold of my hand and moved with me. I shivered from the chill of the stones and the excitement of her warm body pressed against mine.
“Are you scared?” She gazed at me, her eyes hungry and full of desire.
“No,” I lied.
She lowered her gaze to my erect nipples pressed firmly against her breasts. My fleshy pale 38Cs pushed flat against her much smaller breasts and her bronzed, muscular chest made an interesting sight. The contrast was…sexy. Hot. Erotic.
“May I?” she murmured.
I swallowed against the huge lump in my throat. What would life on the other side of the waterfall be like if I said yes? What was it like before? Why could I not recall?
Obviously sensing my hesitation, she stepped away.
Panic pulsed through me, my decision made. I pulled her back.
She lowered her head and took my right nipple into her mouth.
I gasped, my knees weak as pure lust raced through me and settled between my legs.
She positioned a leg between mine and pressed her hips firmly against me. As she licked and sucked my nipple, my body arched. Need and desire roared through me. I twisted and moaned, my neglected breast aching for the pleasure of her mouth. Arousal launched a waterfall between my legs to rival the one beside us. She abandoned my breast and stepped back to study the sticky spot on her leg.
My face flushed with heat and I looked away.
“Don’t be embarrassed.” She dipped her forefinger in it, traced it across her top lip, then slowly licked it off. “You’re delicious.”
My heartbeat quickened as she lowered herself until she was on her knees, eye level with my throbbing sex. When she leaned forward I spread my legs, inviting her. Slowly she licked my inner thighs in long smooth strokes until she removed all my wetness.
I pressed my palms flat against the stone wall. I wanted this, surreal or not.
She wrapped her arms around my butt, pulling me to her face. Her eyes closed, she extended her tongue, licking me from the bottom of my lips to the top, barely grazing my clit with each swipe. She continued teasing my clit until it was hard and swollen.
“Please.” I moaned, thrusting my hips against her mouth.
She pulled back the hood of my clit with her thumb and forefinger and electricity shot through me. Holding me tightly against her face, she rested the full length of her tongue against my clit. I reveled in the feeling, committing to memory the softness of Jordan’s face between my thighs. She breathed in, pulling my clit into her mouth. My body shuddered, nearing orgasm, but knowing it could possibly end, I forced myself to slow down and savor the pleasure. It was obvious she was in no hurry. I twisted my fingers in her hair and forced her mouth harder against me. She kept her teeth locked on my clit, the tip of her tongue pressed hard against the tip. My body no longer existed. I was soaring high, beyond reality and ecstasy. I could hear the water splashing and my moans echoing off the stones. I ached for release. Suddenly she was still. I opened my eyes. She remained in the same position, her mouth on me, but she was staring up at me. She waited. The longer she stared at me, the more my body trembled.
“Don’t stop,” I begged.
Her eyes brightened, and she carefully eased two fingers into me, her mouth and tongue continuing their onslaught. The moment she found my G-spot, an orgasm erupted within me. She continued, undaunted by my squeezing walls and my quaking body.
I floated in a cloud of pleasure, vaguely aware of her third and fourth fingers joining the previous two. The combined pleasures of her tongue and fingers awakened a new being in me. I was opening up, blooming for her, desiring and inviting her to take me. Even after I’d had multiple orgasms she was relentless, pushing her fingers deeper into me, reaching and caressing areas never before touched. I pushed against her hand, longing for her complet
ely. Acknowledging my request, she tucked her thumb into her palm and gently pushed. I gasped as her entire hand penetrated me easily. Once in, she held it motionless, allowing my body to accept her on my terms. She leaned back on her knees, her puffy red lips and chin glistening with my wetness.
“Easy,” she whispered, “relax, let it happen naturally.”
I worked my hips in a slow circular motion while she moved her fist slowly. My sex contracted, released and opened until she was in beyond her wrist. I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by her ability to take me somewhere I’d never been, had never even known existed. She rotated her hand inside me. With smooth even strokes she pulled her hand back a few inches, increasing the intensity and speed as my body responded, my cries echoing off the cave walls.
“I want you,” she whispered. The veins on her wrist appeared, only to disappear quickly as she pushed back into me. Again and again, fast and hard. The sight of it pulled me to new levels, swirling silver plains of desire.
“Let yourself go.”
Where else could I possibly go? Multiple orgasms, fisting, a woman, could there be more?
“Come on,” she coaxed, “share with me.”
My body responded, jerking furiously, exploding and releasing. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. My mind whirled, and I floated away.
What seemed like ages later I struggled to open my eyes, my body like wet sand. “What the hell was that?”
She smiled. “You’ve never experienced anything like that, have you?”
“I thought I was dreaming.”
She laughed, a beautiful, deep throaty sound that made me start to throb again. “You might be a bit sore later. But it should take your mind off your ankle.”
I returned her grin and stretched like a cat. This was turning into the best camping trip ever.
“Would you like to see the beauty from the top?” she asked.
“The actual waterfall?”
“Sure, my camp is up there and we’ll take the trail, which shouldn’t be too rough on your ankle…that is, if you’d like to hang around another day? If not, I can take you down to the main trailhead. But if you’d like to stay another day, I can take you back the day after.”
Spend another day alone with her? After the past few hours I would practically kill a house full of kittens for five more minutes. I kissed her quickly and felt myself blushing. She deepened it before moving away and helping me stand. We swam back to shore and got dressed in our rumpled, dirty clothes. They felt particularly strange after the amazing way she’d made my body feel.
The hike to the top took several hours. It was hot and my clothes were sticking to me, but her guided tour was worth my irritability. She was a wonderful guide, pointing out wildflowers and blue jays while steering me clear of poison ivy. Every time my ankle began to ache she was there, her arm out for me to lean on.
We got to a point where the trail ended at the river’s edge. “We need to swim from here. That will help with the swelling.” She glanced down at my ankle, but when her gaze shifted to my shorts, I knew there was no chance of that swelling going down. I followed her lead. She held our backpacks over her head, and once again I was struck by how strong she was. I could see her campsite on the opposite side of the stream.
“This is as close as we get to the edge,” she said, helping me onto the rock. “The current’s too strong and we don’t want to go over.”
I stood beside her in silence, awed by the swirling water churning madly before it plunged over the edge. But really, her beauty was equal to the waterfall. I stared at her chest as it rose and fell, not realizing her eyes were only half-closed until it was too late. She gave me a wicked grin.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, looking away.
“It’s okay.” She took my hand and placed it over her heart, which pounded against my palm. She put her hand over my heart.
I gasped and my body swayed. It was like there was a current running between us, like the power of the waterfall ran through our arms and into one another’s chests.
“Slow down,” she whispered, her breath hot on my cheek, “and allow yourself to experience it.”
Obeying her, I concentrated. The fresh air was intoxicating. The rushing water soothing. I was floating into the endless blue sky. My heart was racing…no, it was hers. Ours. She was with me. I could feel her as we soared.
She lowered my body onto the rock. The hot sun had warmed it for hours, and it combined with my water-chilled skin perfectly. I heard myself moan as our bodies pressed together. She lifted herself just enough to allow our pelvic bones to touch. My body responded and I thrust my hips up to meet her. I’d never been so ravenous for another person’s touch as I was at that moment. We stayed on the rock until the sun was on the way down.
“Plan on keeping that bag to yourself tonight?” she asked.
“Not at all.” I spread the sleeping bag on the ground, excited by the prospect of being close to her again.
She lay beside me, her arm resting on her forehead, staring at the sky. “You certainly can’t see this in the city.”
“It’s really not necessary for you to go with me tomorrow.”
“Can’t risk the chance you might get lost again.” She scratched her cheek and sighed dramatically. “Who would come to your rescue?”
I couldn’t argue with such a valid point. We built a fire and relaxed in silence for a while. She was staring at the stars when she started to talk.
“I was in love once, many years ago.”
I listened intently, sitting by the blazing fire, her hot skin pressed against mine. Something about the woman, the flames dancing in her eyes, the scent of pine floating on the cool night breeze—it all seemed so right.
She tossed more sticks onto the flames.
“Only once?” I asked.
She nodded, concentrating on the fire. “It was stormy. I haven’t spoken to her in seven years. But I still think of her often.”
“Why didn’t it work?”
“Confusion mostly. We loved each other but couldn’t commit.”
Even across the flames I could feel her pain. Seven years and it was still so raw. No relationship had ever affected me that way.
“We were supposed to meet here,” she continued. “We agreed after seven years we would have grown enough to be together again, and we’d meet here. That’s why I needed to be at the waterfall. But she didn’t come.”
Chills raced up my spine. She was waiting on the love of her life and I was there instead. What did that mean? Anything? I wanted to hold her and take away her pain, but it wasn’t for me to do. We had some crazy connection, something that had probably changed me in ways I didn’t even understand yet, but that was nothing compared to a love she’d waited seven years for.
She stood up and extended her arms. “These woods are my lover now.”
I shivered at the finality in her tone. Like she’d given up on love and decided to become a part of nature instead. What was it like to be at one with nature? Magnificent. A twinge of envy pierced me. “I’ve had many lovers but never a woman or the woods.”
Her laughter echoed through the trees and the tension of the conversation faded. “Sounds like we’ve both had a run of bad luck.” She smiled down at me, and the trace of sadness only added to her beauty. “Maybe that’s about to change.”
The next morning dawned bright and clear. The sound of the waterfall and the chirping of the birds felt like part of me. I stretched and realized sleeping on the ground wasn’t nearly such a pain when you were being made love to all night. I sat up and saw that she was already dressed. She sat on the cooler, her chin resting on her fists, staring at me. I smiled, suddenly shy in the light of day.
“We should head out soon, if we’re going to get you to the trailhead by noon. I’ve radioed for someone to pick you up and take you to the lodge, where you can arrange for your trip home. You should still get your ankle looked at too.”
A wave of disappointment flooded me. J
ust like that, it was over. I would go back to the city, she would go back to…what-ever she did. I nodded and pulled my things together. When I was ready I faced her, still sitting in that same position, watching me. I shrugged, at a loss for words. She stood with a sigh and led the way, away from the river and down a steep path. It took concentration not to put a foot wrong, which was good, because I couldn’t think of a thing to say.
We reached the trailhead and saw other people in the distance. Brad’s car was still in the parking lot below, so clearly he hadn’t gone chasing after me. Somehow it made me feel better to know I’d had the time of my life without them even knowing.
Jordan cleared her throat and turned to me. “I waited seven years for a woman who didn’t show up. In the last forty-eight hours, I decided to stop waiting and move forward.” She kissed the backs of my hands and kept her eyes on mine. “Can I see you again?”
I crushed her in an ecstatic hug. “Yes! I’ll camp, I’ll hike, I’ll do whatever. I want to see where this goes.”
A bus pulled up and she waved to the driver. “I wrote my details down and put them in your backpack. Call me when you’re ready. And if you change your mind, at least let me know you made it home safe.”
I kissed her deeply, wanting her to feel what I felt, what we felt on the mountaintop. “Hurry home. I’ll be waiting.”
LOVE DANCE
Merina Canyon
Emmy had stayed up all night again. She sprawled on the blue-green shag carpet, her chin resting on the windowsill. She waited for the first glimpse of the sun—her signal to crawl into bed exhausted, pull a pillow over her head and sleep facedown until noon or one, or two.
She had been doing this most of a month, ever since Molly left her—for someone else, a he, a he that Emmy hated because he sold drugs and had lured her secret girlfriend away.
Now Emmy was in a prison of loneliness and afraid of the dark. Afraid to turn the light out and sleep during the night. She was already eighteen and she had nothing to look forward to, living with her parents and no job, no life.