Winter's Heat

The sun shone blindingly, its radiance and emanating warmth serving as a deceitful mirage, a false comfort that belied the earth's frigid cold. Yet, its beauty was genuine, reminiscent of vintage holiday greeting cards. The snow sparkled with what seemed like an endless bounty of fragmented diamonds, its vast blanket spread out across pure expanses of slopes and dipping valleys, their virginity untouched by the invasive violations of civilization. The green heads of the tall pines were crowned with nature's white frosting, while other trees stood bare, their skeletal limbs reaching out to the blue skies above as though begging for rebirth.

Everything was silent. Everything but the soft chirping of birds proclaiming their joy at being out on such a beautiful day. The only other sound, that of crunching snow, of the "whoosh" of skis gliding across its surface. Adrianne and I were approaching our cabin after having spent a better part of the afternoon on a cross-country excursion. We came upon a slight rise, our breaths accelerating, bursts of smoky moisture billowing from our mouths and evaporating in the icy air before us. It had been a long trek and we had grown tired, grateful for the sight of the stocky wood structure which sat nestled in a secluded enclosure, beckoning us, propelling us onward with its promise of warm and restful refuge.

We continued on for the remainder of the short distance, the sun casting the shadow of our elongated silhouettes across the frozen ground. Our cheeks glowed red from the burning sting of the wind, our bodies bundled in heavy jackets, gloves, scarves and caps. We had only but a few hours remaining before we had to return home, as this was just a weekend getaway we had recently planned. Wanting to escape the frenetic and oppressive pace of daily obligations, we had hopped in Adrianne's car, stuffing it with as much luggage as we could bring. Being typical girls, we ended up packing a lot more than we would possibly need in just two days, but we figured we would be ready in the event of any situation or emergency.

The cabin was a bittersweet part of Adrianne's past as it used to be a romantic retreat for her and her former longtime boyfriend, Chris. Why she would want to return to a place which held so many memories of a relationship that has since extinguished was beyond my comprehension, but she assured me that she still enjoyed coming here on occasion, if only to clear her mind and get away from it all.

Sighing with relief, Adrianne and I crossed the cabin's welcoming threshold, but not before noticing the rapid sombering of the sky. The sun, while still visible, was now nothing more than a pale orb which seemed to be progressively fading away. The remaining fluffy clouds moved swiftly, as though running from the metallic gray beast that chased them before it spread like an impenetrable shield over the celestial landscape.

"Whew! Looks like we made it back just in time," Adrianne exclaimed, as we entered the cabin, struggling to shut the door against the strengthening wind.

We hurriedly began to shed our burden of heavy clothing and gear, propping our skis up against the doorway. We had planned on relaxing a bit and having a quick dinner before heading out for the long drive ahead of us. Now, clad only in jeans, wool turtleneck sweaters and thick socks, we turned on the radio for a weather report. The airwaves crackled with static, the announcer's voice faded in and out, causing us to only detect a few interspersed words. But even through the poor reception, we could obviously figure out that a storm was on its way. And with its ominous warnings of freezing drizzle and poor visibility, it began to seem more and more likely that we wouldn't be heading home tonight.

"It's pretty chilly in here," Adrianne complained, rubbing her hands together and bringing them up to her mouth to blow on them. I had to agree that there was definitely a draft seeping into the cabin. And it would probably get worse as the temperature began plummeting even lower.

She went to sit on the sofa. I could see that she was shivering as she wrapped her arms around herself, her teeth chattering slightly. I headed towards the storage closet and took out a large fleece blanket. I then made my way towards the sofa and seated myself beside her, placing the blanket around her. Even after it was snugly covering her, I stayed there, rubbing her shoulders and arms, trying to cause some kind of additional friction that would warm her up.

What began as a friendly and helpful gesture unexplainingly turned into something more as I became all too aware of our close proximity. I breathed in, detecting her sweet scent. Her hair smelled of shampoo, while her skin was fragrant with the hint of soap and subtle perfume, combining with the natural tinge of fresh air that still clung to her.

After a while, I noticed that her shivering had finally subsided, but we remained motionless as though any kind of movement would disturb the warmth we had built. We simultaneously turned our heads to look at each other, making me notice just how close our faces were. Adrianne quickly averted her gaze and just as suddenly as it had begun, the moment was broken. Whatever it was that passed between us, instantly evaporated. But what is it exactly that had passed between us? If anything at all? Was it just a figment of my imagination or had there indeed been a brief intimate connection?

"Hey, I just remembered that we brought along some hot chocolate. Would you like some?" I asked, quickly getting up from the sofa, trying to bring the conversation back to neutral territory, while my mind still reeled from what had just transpired.

"Sure, and don't forget that we also have some whipped cream," she grinned, looking up at me with the expression of a little girl excited at the prospect of a sweet treat.

"Hot chocolate with whipped cream coming right up," I promised, heading towards the small kitchenette. As I prepared the steaming mugs, I continued chastising myself for reading too much into the fleeting moment on the sofa. Adrianne and I had been friends for a long time, always remaining close through different schools, new jobs and new boyfriends. There was never any shortage of attention from the opposite sex, especially where Adrianne was concerned, and that came as no surprise. She was so beautiful! Wavy brown hair accentuated with lighter streaks throughout, large, expressive blue eyes that you could easily drown into as you looked into them, full lips that invited you to kiss her, a voluptuous body with shapely curves in all the right places. Whlle I never consciously admitted to it, I always felt somewhat envious of her boyfriends, especially Chris, who had been her first serious love. It wasn't so much because I was afraid she would abandon our friendship, but I realized now, that it was because her boyfriends could have a part of her that I knew I never could. After all, she had never demonstrated any such inclination towards sapphic experimentation, not even the slightest hint of curiosity.

I jolted out of my reverie, putting the final touches on our hot chocolate, spraying a high mound of whipped cream atop each one. I heard Adrianne sneeze as I came back into the living room, cups in hand.

"Uh-oh. I hope you're not coming down with a cold," I said, offering her one of the cups.

"I don't think I am," she said uncertainly, sniffling several times, wrapping her hands around the cup, blowing on the steam that drifted upwards. "But even if I was, it would be worth it. I had a great time with you this weekend," she said sincerely.

"Yeah, I'm glad we came here too," I agreed, smiling at her.

Once again, we sat beside each other, sipping from our cups in silence. At that moment, Adrianne raised her head, causing me to laugh out loud.

"What?" she asked in a self-conscious tone, bringing her hand up to her face.

Between stifled giggles, I said,

"You have whipped cream on your upper lip and the tip of your nose."

She quickly reached up to wipe the cream away with the back of her hand, looking a little embarrassed.

"Aww, don't worry about it. I thought it was adorable," I assured her.

Honestly, I had thought it was a lot more than just adorable, as images of me licking the cream off of her nose and lips swirled through my mind. I hastily pushed these thoughts aside, feeling my cheeks burn, hoping that my blush would not betray the urges I was trying so hard to contain.

Having drained the last of the rich beverage which had by now turned lukewarm, we sat for a while longer. The world outside the cabin had grown dark, the window panes turning frosty and rattling violently under the assault of the merciless wind. The patter of ice pellets beat against the glass as heavy flakes descended, creating a wall which blocked out the view of everything else beyond.

"Maybe we should get the fireplace going," Adrianne suggested, standing up and making her way towards the gaping dark mouth of the stone hearth.

As she kneeled on the plush rug before it, placing some logs within, I looked at her, my eyes traveling down her back, down the length of her hair which had been left slightly tousled from her wool cap and the wind's powerful breath.

Just as the amber flames ignited and came to life, I felt myself moving, almost as though I was having an out-of-body experience. I crept silently, lowering myself, kneeling down behind Adrianne who was still facing the crackling inferno. Throwing all caution to the wind, now controlled by nothing else but my impulses, I reached out, slowly pushing her hair aside, exposing her delicate neck. I wrapped my arms around her, nuzzling my face against the smooth, warm skin. I felt her stiffen and gasp sharply, and for a moment, I was afraid she would spring upwards, demanding to know what the hell I was trying to do. But to my surprise and relief, all tension left her body and she relaxed, leaning back and releasing a long contained sigh. She molded against me, and it felt so natural, as though we were meant to fit together.

Encouraged further, I tightened my hold, my arms encircling her torso, moving with the heavy rise and fall of her breathing. She reached up and covered my hands with hers as they clasped firmly around her and rested against her stomach. She tilted her head back so that our cheeks were pressed together and we stared ahead into the leaping fire that matched the sensations that had been set ablaze within us.

"Is this really happening?" Adrianne asked in a barely audible voice.

"Only if you want it to," I assured her, as though giving her a final chance to reconsider, hoping against all hope that she would not.

I placed a soft kiss against her temple before we turned around to face each other. I searched her eyes for any sign of protest, of resistance, but there were none, as all I detected was a look of consent and need, albeit cautious and uncertain ones. Adrianne lowered her gaze, almost shyly, her long lashes veiling the inner emotions her eyes now clearly revealed. She glanced up at me then, looking so fragile and innocent, and it was all I could do but wrap her in my arms again. But instead, I decided to let her speak with my most undivided attention.

"I've always wondered what it would feel like to... you know... especially after my relationship with Chris ended," she confessed, speaking hastily, as though any halt in her flow of words would make her lose her bravado.

She took a tremulous breath before continuing,

"But not with just any girl. Only with you," she admitted, looking down again.

I reached out, cupping her chin with my hand, making her look at me, now ready to share my own confession with her.

"To tell you the truth, I've had many such thoughts about you too. God, all the times I wished I was Chris, to be able to be with you in that way. Oh Adrianne, please just allow me this one time, we don't even have to speak about it ever again after this. We can leave this place tomorrow, and pretend like it never happened," I implored, almost to the point of begging.

Blessedly, she did not make me beg much longer as she now took the initiative, this time making the first move. She cupped my face with one hand, caressing it gently. I leaned into her touch, taking hold of her hand and bringing it up to my mouth. I gently kissed each tip of her fingers, then moved down to her palms, sketching its map of deep life lines with my tongue. Our joined hands then descended to our sides, our fingers tightly intertwined together, as our heads slowly began approaching one another. It took but a few seconds, but it seemed like an eternity before her lips finally met mine. I tasted traces of chocolate upon them and it was more delicious than any decadent dessert. As if on cue, one of the logs in the fireplace stirred and cracked sharply, creating a burst of sparks which seemed to illustrate the electric currents she and I felt upon our first kiss.

Our contact was brief, almost hesitant. Our lips parted and we pressed our foreheads together, our noses gently rubbing in an Eskimo-style display of affection. Adrianne swallowed hard, and I felt her warm breath blowing across my face. At this point, I knew there was no turning back. That kiss served as a testing ground, but I already knew that I wanted her, that I wanted all of her, and from the way she had responded, it was obvious that her desire was mutual.

"God, that was incredible!" she exclaimed. Her body seemed to have become slack, as though she had great difficulty supporting herself, and I attributed this state to the effect of our kiss, as it left me feeling the same way.

"If you thought that was incredible, you haven't seen anything yet. This is but the beginning," I cooed seductively, my inhibitions melting away.

"That's if you want to go further," I added hopefully.

Adrianne responded by confidently reclaiming my mouth with hers. All hesitancy from our first embrace was gone, now replaced with primal passion as teeth nibbled lightly, as tongues urgently darted outwards to lick around the contour of each other's lips only to disappear within the humid recesses of our mouths where they probed, explored, intertwined together like a couple of mating serpents, like two lances battling for dominance.

Our hands and mouths began roaming freely, blindingly grasping at anything we could touch, the only barrier standing in the way of liberated exploration, being our intrusive layers of clothing. We reluctantly separated, as we helped each other to remove sweaters, jeans and socks until only our undergarments remained, our lips touching down on every part that became exposed to the other. As eager as we were, we tried to prolong the gradual unveiling of our bodies, pausing as each item was shed to admire and explore the new offering before us.

The outline of Adrianne's hardened nipples stood out in stark relief, straining against the silky material of her bra. I wrapped my arms around her, my fingers fumbling with the clasp as I kissed down her jawline, the slope of her throat and across her shoulders. At last, the bra came undone and I slipped the straps downward, until her paramount summits were released. I immediately cupped the supple twin globes, feeling their fullness fitting perfectly inside my palms. The tips of my fingers grazed her elongated nipples, circling around the circumference of the large areolas. I lowered my head and captured one nipple into my mouth, and then the other, alternating between the two ample weights. Adrianne whimpered and tilted her head back, her hands working feverishly to dispose of my own bra.

Her nipples became drenched with my saliva as I felt my own peaks lengthening under her massaging hands. I pressed myself into her kneading caress, encouraging her further with small moans of approval and guidance. She engulfed one breast into her mouth, lavishing it with long strokes of her tongue, suckling with wild abandon before moving on to its heaving counterpart, bestowing equal treatment upon it.

We achingly made our way further down each other's bodies until we arrived at the part of us that was until now still concealed and urgently demanding attention. Adrianne opened up her legs to me and I instantly breathed in the intoxicating musk of her arousal. Her panties were soaked through, the now transparent material clinging possessively to the opening of her labia. I gripped the sides of her panties, sliding them down her legs, brushing my knuckles against her smooth skin, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake.

Her nude body was flawless in the fire's light, its faint glow lending it the impression of fine porcelain. My breath catching in my throat at the sight before me, I tried to speak without stammering,

"You're so beautiful! I could spend all night making love to you," I exclaimed in a quivering voice.

"Well, lucky for us, we've got all night, since it doesn't look like we'll be leaving this place anytime soon. But first things first. Let's get you out of those wet panties," Adrianne purred suggestively, and the realization that she had taken notice of my state of arousal only served to fuel my libido even more.

I sat back submissively as she knelt before me, her hands traveling up the length of my legs, stopping along their journey to caress my feet, calves, the sensitive spot at the back of my knees, and finally, the outside of my thighs, intentionally avoiding all contact with my central core. Her heavy-lidded eyes fixated upon their discovered treasure as it was freed from its moist confines.

She pushed me back until I lay across the plush rug, its softness combining with that of her gentle touches. She smiled and leaned over me, settling herself between my open legs. Her hair fell forward, draping my breasts, tickling my alert nipples. We indulged in another long, sensual kiss before she allowed her lips to follow a burning path downward. I shivered as she trailed her fingernails down my ribcage, and writhed as her tongue entered the hollow of my navel. She took great pleasure in tantalizing me, making me yearn for more. My erratic pulse beat rhythmically in time with the throbbing between my legs.

At last, her hands delved beyond the juncture of my thighs, drawn to the warmth emanating from between them. Her fingers caught in the fine duvet of pubic curls which adorned my dilated, slick entrance. Her touch rotated around the threshold of my orifice, not quite burrowing within it yet. Not able to handle the pleasurable torment any longer, my longing for her having become almost painful, I released a moan of frustration and grabbed her hand, insistently guiding it precisely to where I wanted it.

"Looks like someone is anxious," Adrianne said with a husky laugh. "But we shouldn't rush, baby. I want to savor every moment. We have both been waiting so long for this," she continued, running her hands along my inner thighs before returning them to their ultimate destination.

When she thought that I had finally endured enough agonizing anticipation, she rewarded my patience by first flexing one finger, then two, inserting them deep within the depths of my awaiting tunnel. Because of my abundant lubrication, they had slid in effortlessly, almost imperceptibly, if not for the effect of the collision against my erect clitoris which sent vibrations rolling through me and elicited a guttural wail from my throat. I instinctively raised my hips, rocking upwards in time with her deliberate manipulations. While one hand concentrated on my nether regions, the other focused on massaging my breasts in a continuous pattern that synchronized perfectly with her relentless thrusting motion.

I could feel myself approaching my impending climax, and through my hazy vision, I saw Adrianne looming above me, looking down at me intently.