Consummate Conservation

Miranda stepped carefully onto the next lily pad and held her breath with the hope that the green leaf would hold her weight. The water beneath her was black as night and her pale reflection rippled slightly as she moved from one lily pad to the next. Crossing the pond was always a terrifying and exhilarating experience, and Miranda felt her heart race in time to the song of the crickets and the swish of the cattails along the shore. She carefully reached her toe for the next available pad, when her balance was completely thrown and she fell to the center of her green float.

"What the...?" Miranda gasped, but before she could determine what had caused the jarring of her floating island, another solid thud came from beneath her and was followed by a distant squeal of delight and very familiar laughter. Miranda's head was spinning and her arms shot out to brace herself as her very foundation jolted and rocked beneath her. Again she heard laughter, but this time it was louder and much closer, and she finally recognized who it belonged to.

Miranda's eyes shot wide open; she gasped as the bed bounced wildly beneath her and sing-song laughter filled the room. She quickly flipped to her back and grabbed Josie's legs as they left the bed, pulling them toward her and holding them until the hyper woman fell to her back on the mattress with a startled yelp. Miranda scrambled onto her knees and immediately covered Josie's body with her own, bringing her face to within inches of the breathless woman's beneath her.

"You are such a clown!" Miranda scolded with a smile, and she watched as Josie's eyebrows went up in amusement.

"What were you dreaming?" The blonde asked with a grin.

"How did you know I was dreaming?" Miranda returned and narrowed her eyes.

"Because you were whispering in your sleep before I started jumping."

"Damn you!" Miranda said playfully and nipped the blonde's chin before answering, "Thumbelina, again."

Josie tilted her head back and laughed heartily, sending wonderful vibrations through Miranda's belly and nipples. The action also caused Josie's hips to quake against Miranda's mound, waking her up in more ways than one. The brunette looked down on the laughing woman and leaned in quickly, sealing her lips over the blonde's exposed neck and sucking heartily. Josie's laughter ceased immediately and the next sound to fill the room was a low moan.

"Mmmm...Thumbelina!" Josie whispered teasingly, but was quickly bitten and yelped, "Ouch!"

"That's what you get for being so saucy this morning," Miranda explained and then laved her tongue over the spot on Josie's neck where her teeth had just left tiny red marks.

"So the saucier I get, the more I can expect you to use your tongue and teeth to reprimand me?"

"Under normal circumstances, I'd say absolutely yes. But today is April twenty-fourth," Miranda answered.

"What's so wonderful about April twenty-fourth?" Josie asked cautiously.

"It's Earth Day, silly, and we will be doing our part to make the big blue planet a better place to live," Miranda explained.

"What do you mean by our part, Miranda?"

"Don't roll your eyes at me, Jo. You have no idea how much fun it can be to celebrate Earth Day, none at all."

"Well if it's anywhere near as fun as sorting the garbage, walking to work, reading by candlelight, and maintaining the compost pile in the back yard I can hardly wait," Josie said sarcastically and rolled her eyes again for effect, referring to all of the things Miranda insisted upon in the name of earth-friendly responsibility.

"What are you trying to say?" Miranda asked, feigning a look of hurt.

"I'm saying that you are already the most earth-conscious and earth-friendly person I know and I was under the impression we celebrated Earth Day three hundred sixty-five days a year."

"That's it you little brat!" Miranda growled and instantly began tickling the blonde.

Josie's laughter rang through the room and echoed off the starkly decorated walls and honey tinted hard wood floor. Miranda continued tickling her and didn't stop until the blonde had wormed her way to the edge of the bed with her head hanging upside down over it. Miranda's chin was hovering over Josie's belly button and her hands stilled as she took in the incredible beauty before her. The early dawn light crept through the semi-sheer curtains and cast a pale peach light over everything, giving Josie's skin a healthy glow and enticing Miranda to no end.

She gazed up the length of the blonde's torso and drank in the sight of her lover's body. The smooth skin of Josie's belly and the way it rolled subtly over her ribs was so very feminine and beautiful. Miranda's gaze swept up the seductive curve of Josie's breasts and her own nipples began growing hard as she took in the pale pink aureole and taut nipples in front of her. The smooth valley between Josie's breasts was utter perfection in Miranda's mind and she looked through it, up the graceful lines of the blonde's neck.

"If you weren't so beautiful and sexy, I'd still be tickling you but I think you'll find the way I celebrate Earth Day to be most pleasurable and fulfilling."

"Really? Now I'm intrigued." Josie said. "What did you have in mind, love?"

"Well it's an all day affair, so for now I suggest you just lie back and relax." Miranda advised and bent her head, sticking her tongue into the blonde's cute little belly button before tracing a heart around the now wet dimple.

Josie exhaled gently and Miranda proceeded to lick over the slight shadows of Josie's abdominal muscles, causing them to flex and relax intermittently. Her skin was smooth and soft and Miranda decided she was lying atop one of nature's most wonderful creations, a woman's body. She lazily traced her tongue down the slightly indented line of Josie's abdomen and branched off to the side when her chin brushed over the nearly translucent tuft of curls at the top of the slender woman's mound.

"Mmmm...I love celebrating Earth Day already," Josie said quietly and Miranda smiled against the top of her thigh just before closing her teeth around it and nibbling gently.

"We've only just begun, love." Miranda said and continued nibbling and licking her way down the top of a firm thigh until she reached the large scar that ran diagonally across the blonde's right knee.

Every time she saw it, a pang of guilt and dismay tugged at her heart and today was no different. The day Josie had slipped and fallen on a treacherous section of trail in Zion National Park had been one of the worst and best days of Miranda's life. She was a trail guide and had been leading a tourist hike when a large lizard scampered from beneath a rock, scaring Josie and causing her to jump off the side of the trail. She lost her footing and tumbled down a seven foot drop off, shattering her knee upon impact. The injury had required two surgeries and left her with a nasty puffy scar.

Miranda had insisted on riding to the hospital with her when Josie's boyfriend openly berated the injured woman for being scared of the charging reptile and clumsily falling and embarrassing him. Miranda completely lost it when the muscle-head ripped into Josie and by the time her own screaming tirade was finished, he had taken several steps away from her and stood stupidly with his mouth hanging open.

Miranda now kissed over the raised scar and remembered the way Josie had kissed her cheek that day to soothe her anger when the ambulance door closed. That kiss had been the beginning of a tremendous friendship that eventually blossomed into what was now a two year old relationship. She smiled against the smooth skin around the pale scar and thanked her lucky stars that their paths had crossed.

"Sorry," Miranda whispered against the injury, as she did every time she touched it. She had been leading hikes for years and never had such an incident and she prided herself on being a conscious and cautious guide. And while she knew it wasn't her fault, she couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible for the pain the blonde had suffered on the trail.

"I'm not," Josie said almost mechanically, but with feeling, as she did every time Miranda apologized about her scar.

Even though Miranda knew it was coming, hearing the blonde utter those words always made her heart soar and she wrapped her fingers around a muscular calf and began massaging it gently as she kissed up the inside of Josie's thigh. Beneath her fingertips, the blonde's calf muscle jumped and twitched as Miranda's lips neared the center of her heart's desire. Abandoning the woman's calf, Miranda softly kissed up each side of Josie's puffy outer lips and slowly slid her hands up to cover her breasts.

Josie slid her hands up Miranda's forearms and settled over them, squeezing them and guiding as much sensation into her body as she could. Miranda kissed the top of her slit and then moved her tongue to the bottom, and licked over the top, careful not to delve inside. Josie's hips rolled up to increase the contact and Miranda smiled.

"Please." Josie whimpered and Miranda pulled her right hand from beneath the blonde's and slid down her belly before poising her middle finger against the prone woman's entrance.

"Yes." Josie hissed and Miranda slid it inside slowly, happily finding the wetness that made her own sex pulse with need. She moved it in and out a few times before adding another finger, bringing a soulful moan from her lover's lips. Slowly driving forward and swirling them gently within, until both fingers were coated with Josie's juices, she finally withdrew them and moved up to the blonde's upturned face. Miranda inserted one finger between Josie's parted lips and moaned as it was eagerly sucked inside and licked clean. She then leaned further down and sucked the other finger into her own mouth.

The sensation at her fingertips from two mouths was tremendous and a strong jolt of excitement ripped through her when pale blue eyes met hers with evident lust. She then moved her hand and pressed her lips to Josie's, where she found more traces of the blonde's arousal, causing her own pussy to grow damp. Miranda slipped her tongue past thin lips and eagerly sought more of her favorite treats within. But when Josie's hands found her breasts, Miranda quickly pushed off her and leapt from the bed with a delighted laugh as she ran from the bedroom.

"Where the hell are you going?" Josie yelled and slapped the bed in frustration.

"Earth Day, remember? Now get up, lazy bones, and meet me in the back yard!"

Josie groaned and gave her nipples a good pinch before rolling off the bed to put some clothes on. Meanwhile, Miranda made her way to the laundry room, opened the dryer and pulled out a pair of running shorts and a stretch tankini, which she quickly donned before heading outside.

By the time Josie made it outside, the brunette was kneeling in the cool grass before the flower bed beneath their bedroom window. Miranda looked up when she heard the screen door slam and felt all the air leave her lungs when she noticed the blonde standing at the beginning of the stepping stone path that led to where she was kneeling. Josie was facing the back fence, obviously looking for her, which gave Miranda a brilliant view of her profile.

The morning sun glinted brightly off her golden hair and Miranda's eyes traveled slowly down her lean but compact frame. A long graceful neck, thin shoulders, smallish breasts with plenty of perk, a flat stomach, wonderfully round backside, extremely muscular legs right down to perfectly manicured pink toes kept her in a lusty and mesmerized silence. Josie's love for fitness and appreciation for the sun gave her an athletic sun-kissed appearance that never failed to make Miranda's mind wander to thoughts of sin. She finally woke from her day dreaming when Josie's hands settled on her hips as she scanned the large yard to locate her.

"Over here, gorgeous."

Josie's head turned quickly and she smiled when she finally saw Miranda kneeling at the flower bed. The smile was short-lived, however, when she registered the garden tools and large bag of peat moss on the ground between them. Miranda saw her arch an eyebrow and cock her head just slightly as if to say, 'What's this all about?' But the blonde never said a word and instead walked slowly toward her, delicate feet stepping carefully in the center of the oddly shaped flag stones that provided a path to the flower bed. Just before Miranda turned away, she saw the blonde lift the bottom of her shirt and flash her quickly before winking and lowering it just as quickly.

Tease, Miranda thought to herself and simply shook her head as she reached for the tiny trowel and began churning up a small section of earth before her. She sensed, rather than saw, the blonde kneel beside and slightly behind her to the left and continued digging.

"You ran out on me in a time of morning need, to come dig in the dirt?" An amused voice asked over her shoulder.

"Yup." Miranda replied smugly and received a quick pinch on the ass for it, which was just fine by her.

"Well would you at least mind telling me what for?"

"Earth Day."

"Right, right. How could I forget?" Josie drawled as she leaned over Miranda's back to grab the tiny garden rake.

Miranda froze momentarily as hard nipples pressed against her spine and she almost called the whole thing off as her body responded in kind; but when Josie moved away and began digging right beside her, she smiled and continued digging. Reaching behind a nearby bush, she pulled out a baby rose bush, setting it just beside the hole she'd made. She had just picked up the trowel again when Josie reached over and gently took it from her. Miranda turned brown eyes on her and saw nothing but love there, which brought an instant smile to her face.

She knew her love of nature was more than most people could take, but Josie had never complained about it and somehow seemed to understand her little idiosyncrasies where that was concerned. Miranda reached behind the bush again and pulled a second baby rose bush out and set it on the ground beside the first before looking back at her silent partner. Josie was one step ahead of her, though, and had already begun digging a second hole for the other plant.

Miranda proceeded to pull the plastic pot from the bottom of the first bush and settle it into the hole before pouring the peat moss in with it and covering it with the excess dirt. She then rid the second bush of its plastic housing and settled it into the hole Josie had just created. The unspoken feeling of togetherness and contentment was wonderful and damn near overwhelming, but they continued in silence, as no words were necessary. Together they covered the hole and smoothed the earth over it, brushing hands here and there.

Miranda reached out to remove the tag from the second bush when a sharp pain ripped through her finger, into her hand and up her arm.

"Ow, shit!" She swore and jerked her hand away from the sharp thorn.

Josie turned quickly and reached for Miranda's hand, noticing the tiny drop of blood oozing from the small cut. She wrapped her soft fingers around it and reached for the nearby garden hose. Miranda froze and watched as the woman brought the gently trickling water to her hand and allowed the cool liquid to run over her injured finger. The soft fingers around her hand, the pain in her finger and the chilled water running softly over it made for an interesting mix of sensation and she felt her nipples react appreciatively.

Josie gently washed away the dirt from Miranda's hand and then placed the hose back in the grass beside her. She looked up tentatively and locked eyes with Miranda, whose face was intensely focused on her. Moving very slowly, but with a distinct sense of purpose, Josie raised the cut finger to her mouth and closed her lips around it, sucking gently and laving her tongue over the tip.

Miranda shivered and exhaled loudly as her lover's tongue swiped over her finger and slid around it seductively. She hadn't realized she was holding her breath and shivered again as the pain in her hand turned to delightful tingles and worked slowly up her arm and into her breast. Miranda watched as Josie's eyes closed slowly, mere moments before drawing her entire finger into her mouth and sucking rhythmically.

Josie gently pulled the finger out of her mouth, making a soft kissing sound as the tip popped out from between her lips. She then rotated Miranda's hand, palm facing the sky, and leaned forward to place soft wet kisses into her palm, licking a diagonal line across the sensitive center. Miranda watched in lusty fascination and shuddered violently. The sight of what was being done to her merged with the physical sensation of Josie's tongue on her skin and her eyes closed slowly.

A long moan left her when Josie's tongue drew a line to the inside of her elbow and licked across the ticklish skin there.

"Lie back, baby." She heard Josie say.

Miranda slowly lowered herself to the soft cool grass and felt the fat St. Augustine blades tickle the back of her arms and neck. The grass rustled quietly as Josie crawled closer and she felt damp fingers grasp the bottom of her shirt, working it up her torso and over her head. Again, the grass tickled her skin and a subtle wave of goose bumps washed over Miranda's skin as her mind grappled with the cool grass at her back and the warm sun seeping into the bare flesh of her chest and stomach.

Josie's fingers then slid into the waistband of her shorts and began tugging them down. Miranda lifted her hips slightly to assist in their removal and felt the slick nylon brush over her legs. She couldn't remember a time she'd felt more aware of every tiny touch and the simple fact that she was lying completely nude beneath the vast blue sky with the sun warming her body made her pussy twitch hard. Her toes curled and she found she was holding her breath again in anticipation of the next touch.

She heard Josie rustling around, but did not open her eyes as the sun was in her face. Just as she was beginning to wonder what would happen next, her entire body tensed and her fingers stiffened when the cool water from the hose splashed onto her warm chest and slid off her body and into the grass. Miranda hissed and jerked her head to the side as Josie moved the stream of water slowly between the valley of her breasts, down her taut abdomen, over her mound and down the crease where her legs rested together.

Her first instinct was to roll away and escape the chilly assault, but she forced herself to remain as still as possible and let Josie do whatever came to mind. The shock wore off quickly and she found she rather enjoyed the way the water slid over her and caressed her in a very fluid and feathery way. She heard the hose fall to the ground near her feet, and then felt Josie grab her ankles and pull them apart. Miranda, now facing away from the sun, opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the massive cedar tree in their back yard. Tiny bits of blue sky peeked through gaps in the branches and leaves and Miranda smiled at the beauty of it all.

She could still feel the contrasting temperatures across her skin where the cool water had touched, and reveled in the way the sun and her lover's soft lips stoked the fires within her, warming her through and through. Josie moved to her hip and kissed from one side to the other, with soft feathery touches of her lips. Miranda closed her eyes again and rolled her head to the other side, directly facing the sun. The heat was incredible and the soft orange glow through her eyelids matched the sensations within her as the blonde's tongue dipped into her belly button on its way to the underside of her breast.

"Is this what you had in mind for celebrating Earth Day?" Josie asked and Miranda felt the words blow across her nipple.