overdrive each time she heard water splashing. She could vividly picture the scene in her mind. She busied herself with the coffee, making a tray to take out to the living room, trying to chase her thoughts away. She stood at the stove, her back to the room, staring out into the dark, stormy night. Half an hour ago she was scared for Jen’s life. Now, she was picturing her naked in her bathtub.
“Thank you.”
Ryan turned, seeing Jen—silhouetted by the lone lamp—dressed in Ryan’s clothes. Her hair was damp and brushed away from her face. Ryan stared, thinking she’d never seen a more beautiful sight. Their eyes held for a long moment, then Ryan shook herself, motioning for Jen to join her at the stove.
“I’ll bring the coffee.”
They stood side by side, quietly sipping their coffee, listening to the crackle of the fire as it drowned out the raging blizzard that continued outside their cozy cabin.
***
Jen tried to lie still, but the events of the past few hours had taxed her limitations. How close had she been to succumbing to the elements? She had no recollection of falling, no idea if she’d lost consciousness or not. She just remembered the constant fear that gripped her when she couldn’t find the cabin, couldn’t find Ryan and the dogs. Once again, she’d proven how inadequate she was to this lifestyle. As if driving into the path of an avalanche wasn’t enough, she had to further show her shortcomings by getting lost in a blizzard. Lost...and nearly freezing to death.
“Do you want me to hold you?”
Jen closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again to the darkness, touched by Ryan’s concern. Although feeling a bit needy, she could not refuse the offer. “Yes, please.”
“Roll over on your side, away from me,” Ryan instructed.
Jen did as she was told, then held her breath as Ryan scooted up close behind her, folding her long body around her own. Jen reached for Ryan’s hand, pulling it tightly to her. For someone who didn’t like to sleep with anyone, didn’t want anyone in her space, she felt totally comfortable with Ryan. She felt secure...and warm. And safe.
When she felt Ryan’s soft breath on her neck, she sighed contentedly. At that moment, there was no place in the world she’d rather be. That thought, while startling, did not shock her as much as it should have.
The hand around her stomach tightened, and she ran her fingers over it, loving the softness of Ryan’s skin. Her fingers trailed back and forth slowly, with only the barest of touches. Her eyes slipped closed, and she had a sudden vision of that hand moving higher, across her breasts. Her heart lurched in her chest, her pulse racing at the thought.
She acknowledged that things seemed to have changed between them. She’d felt it all day, the underlying tension that seemed to have sprung up around them. A tension that she was terrified to put a name to.
Instead, she stilled her movements and willed sleep to come.
***
When she was sure Jen was asleep, Ryan let out the breath she’d been holding and moved quietly away from her. Because it felt too good to stay where she was. She silently groaned as she stared into the darkness. It had just been too long, she reasoned. Too long since she’d been with a woman. Too long since she’d even held a woman, much less made love. She was certain that was the only reason her libido was making itself known. She just had to control it for another few weeks, at most. Then the snow would melt, the lower road could be cleared...and Jen would be out of her life.
Five weeks ago that thought would have thrilled her. Now, it brought only uncertainties and a feeling of loneliness. Which, of course, was absurd. She liked being alone. She enjoyed her solitude, her seclusion. In fact, she could hardly wait for things to get back to normal.
She closed her eyes, hoping sleep would come. Instead, she felt Jen stir and roll over. Ryan froze as Jen moved closer. One arm
“Thank you.”
Ryan turned, seeing Jen—silhouetted by the lone lamp—dressed in Ryan’s clothes. Her hair was damp and brushed away from her face. Ryan stared, thinking she’d never seen a more beautiful sight. Their eyes held for a long moment, then Ryan shook herself, motioning for Jen to join her at the stove.
“I’ll bring the coffee.”
They stood side by side, quietly sipping their coffee, listening to the crackle of the fire as it drowned out the raging blizzard that continued outside their cozy cabin.
***
Jen tried to lie still, but the events of the past few hours had taxed her limitations. How close had she been to succumbing to the elements? She had no recollection of falling, no idea if she’d lost consciousness or not. She just remembered the constant fear that gripped her when she couldn’t find the cabin, couldn’t find Ryan and the dogs. Once again, she’d proven how inadequate she was to this lifestyle. As if driving into the path of an avalanche wasn’t enough, she had to further show her shortcomings by getting lost in a blizzard. Lost...and nearly freezing to death.
“Do you want me to hold you?”
Jen closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again to the darkness, touched by Ryan’s concern. Although feeling a bit needy, she could not refuse the offer. “Yes, please.”
“Roll over on your side, away from me,” Ryan instructed.
Jen did as she was told, then held her breath as Ryan scooted up close behind her, folding her long body around her own. Jen reached for Ryan’s hand, pulling it tightly to her. For someone who didn’t like to sleep with anyone, didn’t want anyone in her space, she felt totally comfortable with Ryan. She felt secure...and warm. And safe.
When she felt Ryan’s soft breath on her neck, she sighed contentedly. At that moment, there was no place in the world she’d rather be. That thought, while startling, did not shock her as much as it should have.
The hand around her stomach tightened, and she ran her fingers over it, loving the softness of Ryan’s skin. Her fingers trailed back and forth slowly, with only the barest of touches. Her eyes slipped closed, and she had a sudden vision of that hand moving higher, across her breasts. Her heart lurched in her chest, her pulse racing at the thought.
She acknowledged that things seemed to have changed between them. She’d felt it all day, the underlying tension that seemed to have sprung up around them. A tension that she was terrified to put a name to.
Instead, she stilled her movements and willed sleep to come.
***
When she was sure Jen was asleep, Ryan let out the breath she’d been holding and moved quietly away from her. Because it felt too good to stay where she was. She silently groaned as she stared into the darkness. It had just been too long, she reasoned. Too long since she’d been with a woman. Too long since she’d even held a woman, much less made love. She was certain that was the only reason her libido was making itself known. She just had to control it for another few weeks, at most. Then the snow would melt, the lower road could be cleared...and Jen would be out of her life.
Five weeks ago that thought would have thrilled her. Now, it brought only uncertainties and a feeling of loneliness. Which, of course, was absurd. She liked being alone. She enjoyed her solitude, her seclusion. In fact, she could hardly wait for things to get back to normal.
She closed her eyes, hoping sleep would come. Instead, she felt Jen stir and roll over. Ryan froze as Jen moved closer. One arm
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