The Camping Trip 9

Their car came to a stop on the dirt road, in the Maine woods. He turned his head to her and smiled. "It's not far from here. My family owns this little spot of land. It's quite lovely, and I think we'll be able to see the stars tonight." He squeezed her hand gently as he spoke.

Unpacking the trunk, they took their things with them; just a few fresh fruits and camping gear, and walked down the path through the woods. The path wound about a while, eventually coming out into a tranquil clearing in the forest.

The grass was sparse on the hills in the clearing, and the forest continued some 20 meters away. Down the hill, to the left, they heard the gentle babble of a tiny brook.

"Oh my god," She smiled, "It's perfect!" She turned to look into his silver-blue eyes, which beamed back. "I'm so glad we're doing this."

He leaned close to her face to very lightly kiss her cheek. They spread the table cloth they had brought and laid out a few things on it: a Tupperware container of taco salad, his special family recipe; a few apples and strawberries; grapes; Maine blueberries; and for dessert a special treat, cherries.

He popped a cherry in his mouth and closed his eyes as he bit in, savoring the taste. "Mm! I love cherries."

"Me too!" She exclaimed, "They're my all-time favorite fruit!" He turned his head to smile sidelong at her and she grinned back. He lifted another cherry by the stem and shuffled closer to her, dangling the cherry by its stem near her face.

She opened her mouth to take the cherry in, and he pulled the stem off. She closed her eyes and rolled the cherry in her mouth as she ate it, making a show of enjoying it. Her apparent pleasure was exciting to him, and meanwhile he drew ever closer to her, until his nose ever so slightly brushed against hers.

Her eyes opened and looked into his coyly. "Yum," she murmured.

"Mm, yum," he responded, and then moved his head up, bringing their moist lips into contact sweetly. She returned his kiss and gently stroked his long hair, running it across her palm. They tasted the lingering sweetness of the cherry in their kiss, as they gently sucked on one another's lips.

They broke off the kiss, and she grinned broadly at him, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. He smiled a small, quiet smile back, his eyes glimmering with desire for her. Leaning forward again, he kissed her, more deeply this time, their mouths parting. She leaned backwards as he pressed forward, and lay her back on the grass, kissing him and gently resting her hands on his chest.

Their tongues entwined and danced for a while, then, breaking off the kiss he produced another cherry. Putting the stem in his teeth and leaning down close he dangled the cherry over her face. She smiled and bit into the cherry, pulling downward so he came closer. He tugged his head back to snap off the stem, then bent down close and bit into the cherry as well. Their lips pressed together and their tongues dueled over and around the cherry.

He began caressing her hips with his gentle hands and she purred softly. She cupped his face in her palms, her hands cool against his cheeks and very soft. He gently trailed another cherry along her cheek, its flesh firm and smooth against her skin. His tongue snaked the pit out of her mouth, and he spat it out, aside into the grass. He smiled down at her, gently yet also somehow predatory.

Her hair spread like a halo out around her head, in the grass on the top of the hill, and it shone like burnished copper in the sunlight. He gazed deeply into her eyes which sparkled like gold, and she gazed back into his orbs of striking silver.

"I think it may be more than food I'm hungering for," he mused aloud, and smiled down at her. He then stood unexpectedly. "How about we go for a little walk? There are some lovely things to see around here . . . although, I did bring the loveliest thing with me."

She felt her cheeks flush a little, and smiled up at him, the sun behind him making her squint a little. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Their hands, still together, fell between them, and they interlocked fingers as they began to walk together.

Deciding to leave their shoes behind, they trod barefoot down a dirt path. The pines shaded the path on one side, and on the other the sunlight sparkled in the stream water. Further down there was a jumble of sticks; a beaver hut, and then the path ended in a kind of marsh.

"Look at that!" She pointed up overhead, above the dead trees. An eagle soared low overhead, gently gliding in the air.

"He's magnificent," he murmured, admiring the way the great, proud bird could glide on the air with such ease. "Such grace, combined with such great size."

They walked back down the path, and over the rocky, mossy hills, talking of many things. The ground was uneven beneath them, so they had to step carefully, but not so treacherous as to make walking difficult. The sun was beginning to get low in the sky, casting their shadows far behind them.

"I love it here, in Maine," he said. "It's really beautiful. I think . . . although I'll move away, I'll always want to come back here from time to time."

She nodded silently and smiled softly. "It's like home?"

"It is home," he said with a wider smile. "Don't you feel . . . connected to your home?"

"Not really," she said, casting her eyes downward. "I had good times I suppose . . . but I don't really feel anything special about it. It's like I don't have a home I guess."

His brow furrowed as he looked over at her, and he said nothing, but squeezed her hand a little more firmly. After a moment, she responded in kind.

"I sometimes dream about the home I want . . . sometime in the future."

"Oh," she said, "Yes, the House! Tell me about it again, I love hearing it."

She smiled radiantly at him, and he could only turn his eyes away and blush, beaming with pleasure too. "The center would be a Greek-style circle, all stone, surrounding a great, ancient tree; around it, seven halls running off . . . each one with its own theme, look, and essence. The Tree Circle would make an eighth hall, and the basement a ninth," he turned his eyes upward, and as he spoke, became more and more open, and more and more lost in this dream, his joy writ on his face. "There could be an Asian wing, with the elegant architecture and all; a modern wing with steel and glass . . . even a Thoreau wing! Yeah, it could be all lodge-like and woodsy. It would be wonderful.

"It will be built on a hill, close to the ocean, so the sun sets over the sea every night. It'll be surrounded by open fields, and forests and hills. Imagine it . . . having all that beautiful landscape to yourself… and watching the sunset on the ocean every night."

He trailed off there, staring in rapture towards where the sun was only a few feet from the horizon. She could feel her eyes damp, caught up in the glory of the vision he shared with her. She leaned close to kiss him on the corner of the mouth lightly, and he turned to her, meeting her eyes again.

She smiled back, and said softly, "I want that too."

He smiled more then, not with his mouth so much as with his eyes. His eyes lit up with a light of pure joy, and even though his smile was still small, his pleasure was writ over every inch of him.

They sat on the hilltop, together, very close, watching the sun descend. She reached her hand into his pocket and took another cherry for herself. He smiled as he watched her eat it, and she blushed a little and grinned back even as she chewed it, and spit out the seed.

"I'm so glad we finally got to do this," she said. "I've wanted to for so long."

"We both have wanted it," he replied. "Although, you seemed pretty uncertain at first."

"Oh, it was never that I didn't want it," she said. "It was just that . . ."

"Yeah," he said. "I know. It's okay." He smiled at her and kissed her forehead lightly. She smiled back.

"I'm always nervous about things at first, but so glad when we actually do them."

"It's okay to be cautious. Actually, if you weren't so cautious about everything, I doubt things would feel so great when we actually do them. It enhances the reward, you know?"

She smiled, and took another cherry from his pocket. He grinned and took one for himself.

"They're sooo good," she murmured with it in her mouth.

"Mm." He swallowed his before going on, "They're definitely best like this; fresh, off the stem, nice shiny dark skins and firm flesh."

After a second, she giggled, and he joined a second later, once he got it.

The sun was now beginning to sink below the horizon, and the clouds in the sky shone brilliant oranges, purples and fiery reds as it disappeared. The air was a little chiller, and they huddled a little closer together. He kissed her cheek gently and she smiled, letting her head rest on his shoulder. They sat like that, silently, for a long time, just watching the sun go down.

"It's so majestic," he murmured after a while. "I love the sunset."

"I've never really paid attention to it before."

"I can't believe that. Well, you see it now. What do you think?"

"It's definitely majestic. I can see why you like it."

"It always reminds me of the infinite glory hidden in every aspect of our world, a glory that doesn't reveal itself until you decide to look for it."

She nodded silently, busy absorbing the scene. She could feel what he felt about the sunset. It was inspiring, refreshing to the spirit. She had never paused to meditate on it like this before. It resonated deep within her in a place almost nothing else could reach.

"Yes," she said finally.

He began to speak, acting a part. "This most excellent canopy, the air, look you; this brave o'erhanging firmament; this majestical roof threaded with golden fire: why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors." He stopped, and looked deep in her eyes. "Hard to believe anyone could fail to be moved by such beauty."

"I'm moved by it. I'm just . . . taking it in."

He smiled softly. "That's not what I meant. The line's from Hamlet, he says it when he's in his deepest despair. And anyway," his smile disappeared, and suddenly he looked serious. He turned, looking her gravely in the face, his eyes ardent as they met hers, "I wasn't just talking about the beauty of the sunset."

Their eyes never left each others'. Slowly they closed the distance between their faces, their lips parting slightly, until they kissed, eyes closing. Their lips pressed together, tenderly but still full of passion, and they embraced, clinging gently to each other. The kiss continued a long time, but when it finally finished, the sun and all its light had completely vanished from the sky.

As their lips finally parted and their eyes opened, the last traces of sunlight had faded from the sky and the moon was high and full. She gazed into his eyes deeply, and he felt struck by the intensity in her eyes, matching it with his own.

She smiled softly then, and leaned close to him, to rest her head on his shoulder. He turned his head to gently kiss her temple, and they sat like that, lightly embracing. The air turned chiller and they drew closer together, but soon they were shivering.

She shivered harder. "Let's get into the sleeping bag now, I'm freezing."

He smiled and rubbed her arms up and down, trying to warm her a little before he hopped off to fetch the sleeping bag. He returned promptly, and spread it out on the hilltop, under the stars, and unzipped it. They both lay on their backs upon it, and held hands, kissing gently and smiling at each other again. She shivered again and he tickled her, the shiver turning to laughter.

She poked him in the ribs, trying to look serious as she said, "Cut it out!"

He grinned and tickled her again, "But it'll keep you warm! Seriously, now," as she squirmed and giggled uncontrollably, "Don't you feel better?"

Laughing and thrashing hard, she pushed him away from her, still in paroxysms of laughter. He was giggling too, but when she pounced on him and began to tickle him he exploded in laughter, thrashing almost violently underneath her. He giggled breathlessly, turning red in the face and twisted this way and that as she tickled him.

"Ticklish?" she asked teasingly. "Like a lot?" He gasped for breath, bucking harder so she fell off to the side, laughing at his expense as he panted hard, recovering his breath.

Lying there, they both gasped and chuckled at each other a while. He rolled over, draping his arm across her body, and gently nuzzling the side of her neck with his nose, then kissing it gently. He straightened himself out slightly, so they both lay there, in each other's arms, and staring up at the sky.

She smiled softly and pointed at the first point of light in the vast dark sky, as it was just beginning to show. He smiled too, and pressed his cheek against hers softly. He pointed out another, whispering to her, "And there's another." They lay like this for some time, watching the stars appear and huddling close for warmth.

Finally the night's chill became too much, and they zipped the sleeping bag, and slipped in together, still fully clothed. As he wriggled in, trying to get comfortable but too nervous to hold her tight, he noticed her eyes were turned downward coyly and he too blushed. They caught each other's eye an instant, and both chuckled nervously, moving a little closer together. She slid her hand under his body and around his lower back, embracing him loosely, he responded in kind, slipping his arms under hers and gently running his fingers down her shoulders.

Both turned their eyes to the stars again, seeing many of the brilliant points of light illuminating the sky. Transfixed, they gazed a long time, each listening to the other's gentle breathing. Gradually they relaxed, and without noticing drew very close to each other in an intimate embrace, their bodies pressed softly together.

Turning her head slightly to look away from the stars, she gently pressed her moist, slightly parted lips to the corner of his mouth. He smiled and turned to her, gently planting a kiss on the very tip of her nose. She tightened her arms around him and brought her lips to his, taking his bottom one between hers and lightly sucking on it.

In turn, he squeezed her gently in his arms, as his hand traveled down her back. Slipping their socks off with their feet, they pressed toes to soles, arch to calf, and caressed each other's feet. Their kiss continued, tongues entwining now in a slow, sultry dance, as her leg slid up between his thighs. She pressed it harder, rubbing up against him like a snake climbing a tree. He shivered softly, pulling her body more tightly against his.

"Cold?" She inquired with starlight sparkling in her eyes.

"Actually, I'm quite," he shuddered again, ". . . warm."

Trailing her fingertips up the front of his jeans and slipping them gently under the waistband, to tug up on the bottom of his white t-shirt, she said, "Me too. . ." She pulled his shirt up over his head, and he raised his arms to accommodate her. His hands slid back down her back as she gently kissed his chest, and he dragged his palms back up, sliding her shirt up as well. She raised her arms and he slid the shirt off, revealing the delicate, creamy white skin of her breasts in a black and red lace bra.

Embracing, they just held each other close a long time. He rubbed his nose gently up against hers, and kissed her lips so softly it felt like a breeze. She pressed harder against him, gently kissing him below the curve of his jaw, her lips cool against his skin. He closed his eyes and arched his head back slightly. She moved her head up to kiss him on the lips again, more deeply. The kiss became passionate, each taking their breath from the other. She shivered softly against him.

Her hand trailed down his back, the long fingernails gently tracing a path along his spine that sent a pleasant tremor through all the nerves of his body. Bringing her hand down to the firm mound of his buttock, she squeezed it, and let her hand linger. He moved his hands up her back, caressing deep into her flesh. After a little fumbling, his fingers unsnapped the bra, and tossed it away with their shirts.

Embracing, he felt her small, springy breasts pressed against his chest, rising and falling gently as she breathed. He held her body close to his, feeling her breathe. Their lips locked together; hers warm and dewy, his cool and dry. Their lips parted and tongues danced slowly, sensuously together. She ran her hands up his back softly, he slipped his under her buttocks to grasp them, feeling their firmness. His touch sent a tremor of desire shooting through her, her body tensed and her fingers dug into his back between his shoulder-blades.

Her lips parted in a sigh of pleasure, and he took her bottom lip between his lips, sucking it. A soft gasp escaped her mouth, the graceful sinews of her body tense as she pressed up against his body. His strong, steady hands massaged her buttocks, drawing her closer against him. He rolled his hips against hers, the friction of their bodies sending electricity through both of them, eliciting a mutual groan. She arched her back, pressing her hips against his in kind, still kissing passionately, feeling their stomachs and chest pressed close as they moved against one another.

The rhythm of their passionate dance gradually quickened, and soon they were both breathing heavily, breaking off the kiss and laying their heads against one another, and each breathing hot breath against the other's neck. Feeling the smooth skin of her neck beneath his swollen lips, he began kissing it gently, sucking softly on the delicate flesh. She arched her head back with a soft moan as his lips moved to the corners of her chin. She gasped more sharply, locking her fingers in his fine, soft hair.

His hands glided slowly down her slender body, to his own pants, which he began to undo. She also unsnapped her jeans. They disentangled their bodies long enough to wriggle out of their pants, kicking them to the bottom of the sleeping bag they shared. As they writhed, their thighs rubbed together, provoking murmurs of pleasure from both. When their legs were free of their pants, she reached up to gently take a lock of his hair in her hand, twirling it a moment before pulling his face to hers again in a passionate kiss. He gently stroked her long copper hair with one hand, the fingers of the other pressing between her shoulder blades, massaging her.

She rolled her hips slightly, and both gasped at the sensation of erotic electricity it sent through them. Trembling slightly, he slid his hands down her body, her silky skin hot to the touch, and cupped her buttocks again. Her fingertips traced a gentle pattern on his chest as her eyes fluttered open to meet his with a sultry gaze. She trailed her hands down his body, and he gasped as a shiver ran through him. She slid her hands around his body and up his back, and they resumed their gentle movements, slowly, languorously, savoring every motion.

She slid her thigh slowly up the outside of his as they lay side by side, raising it and wrapping it behind his waist. She pressed her satiny lips to his neck. She planted kisses very slowly on his neck, leaving a most line down it to his collarbone, and with each one he softly murmured his pleasure.

Bringing her legs together, she squeezed his hips slightly between them. He caressed her softly, as she positioned herself atop him. She tensed slightly as he entered her, squeezed him harder, and murmured a little. He continued to stroke her back and gently kiss her face, and she gradually relaxed, sighing with satisfaction as his taut member filled her, sliding across her sensitive rose bud. Both shuddered and moaned low in their throats, gripping each other tightly as they became one, little by little.