Frostbitten

All characters are fictional and over 18 years old.

"Eve, look... it's snowing," Amelia said. She didn't realize that the weather could change so fast on the trail.

"Wow," Eve stopped and looked up. She brushed her black bangs out of her eyes, which were dusted with thick snowflakes. Eve stuck her tongue out and let a few crystals melt on her tongue. She breathed out a cloud of condensation and let it hang in the cold air between her and Amelia.

"We might want to turn back, we still have another mile and it's getting cold," Amelia said. She saw an excited sparkle in Eve's eyes, which made her anxiety spike ever further. Eve never passed up on a shot of adrenaline, especially when Amelia was around to complain about it.

"Are you getting chilly? Do you need me to warm you up?" Eve stepped closer to her, a sarcastically sweet smile on her face.

"It's not gonna work on me," Amelia put her hand up, pushing Eve away lightly on the chest.

"Yes it will," Eve pressed against her hand and leaned forward. "Do you know where the warmest place on the body is?"

"I'm not cold," Amelia found herself blushing. She turned up the trail and started making large strides toward the summit. She was cold. The old college sweatshirt and athletic shorts did little to protect from the elements.

"Yes you are," Eve called from behind and ran to catch up with her. "So. You seeing anyone?" Amelia shot her a dirty look and Eve held her hands up in protest.

"Hey, I'm being nosy, I'm not trying to get in your pants. I mean, you're hardly wearing any..."

Amelia found herself smiling at the joke, her lips curled into a grin. She refused to let Eve see it though, and tried to look unbothered. "I've been taking a break from it all."

"Really? The same girl who's been in monogamous relationships for the past decade?"

"It's been refreshing. After he-who-shall-not-be-named, I needed a break."

"Yeah, that makes sense. Nothing casual though?" Eve pressed. They were getting close to the summit and the breeze turned into scattered, strong gusts.

"I don't do casual, you know that."

"That's why it's so fun to flirt with you," Eve reached over and tried to slap her butt, but Amelia saw it coming and dodged out of the way. "You're untouchable."

The old friends continued up the mountain in relative silence while the air thinned and the snowfall grew thick. When they reached the top, there was a communal shortage of breath and two sets of pink cheeks whipped cold by the wind.

"This might be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Eve said. She hugged her arms close to her body and looked out over the crest of the mountain. Snow fell on the rolling meadows beneath them as the sun began to set on the horizon. Amelia tore her gaze away from the view and watched how Eve's face softened and the corner of her lips drew upwards as she took in the sight. She was always pretty, but she looked different, somehow. Her cheeks were fuller and... she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"I'm scared about the implications of saying this, but I'm starting to get cold," Amelia said. With the high altitude, low temperature, and forceful wind, she could feel the chill set into her exposed skin.

"Oh I knew you wanted a cuddle," Eve gave her a massive bear hug and squeezed her arms around Amelia's chest. Eve's laughter was whisked away by the snapping wind and she released her captive, who shot her a look.

"No, you're right, let's get out of here," Eve said. She led the way down the trail, which was now slick with snow and muddy. What should have been a fast descent was now painstakingly careful as to not slip. Without the sun, the only warmth left came from within Amelia, which was quickly being sapped from her.

"Fuck. This was so stupid," Amelia said through grit teeth. Eve had no flirty riposte, she just pulled her jacket around her and stepped as quickly as she could around the mud puddles. What was a catch-up hike between longtime friends was now a trek with the singular goal of survival.

"Eve, I can't feel my fucking toes," Amelia said.

"Yes you can," Eve said. Amelia wanted to argue that in fact, no she couldn't, but she didn't want to waste the breath.

"How far?" Amelia said after another few minutes. The cold felt like it was inside of her, an inch deep in her skin.

"We're two minutes away," Eve said confidently, checking her watch.

"How far now?"

"Two minutes."

***

An hour later, Amelia saw bright headlights shining through the treeline. She quickened her step, but stumbled over a large root and fell to the mud.

"Up, come on," Eve stopped and pulled Amelia to her feet. They stumbled onto the trailhead, where they saw a pickup truck parked next to their car.

"I saw your car here when I was driving back to my place. It's not safe hiking at sunset, you know," a short, old woman with cropped white hair said, stepping out of the car. The woman walked up to Eve and Amelia with a flashlight and saw the state of their clothes and skin.

"Oh shit... can one of you drive?" She asked. Eve and Amelia looked at each other.

"I can," Eve said.

"Here," the woman said, tossing Eve her keys, which hit her chest and fell to the dirt.

"Give me your keys," she said. "My car's warm and there's a space blanket in the first aid kit. I'll take your ride back into town and get you set up for the night."

Eve and Amelia hesitated a moment, running through the worst case scenarios with whatever brain power they had left.

"Girls, please take my car. I don't want this on my conscience," the woman said with a wave back to the pickup truck. Eve picked up her keys and hurried to the car. Amelia followed and threw herself into the passenger seat. She turned the heat on as high as it would go and wrapped herself in the blanket. There wasn't a thought in her mind, it was dominated by whatever adrenaline she still had left. Eve tossed the keys to her car out the window to the woman and put the truck into drive.

"Alive?" Eve asked. She put a hand on Amelia's thigh, which was freezing to the touch. She almost moved it away, but Amelia stopped her.

"I'm alive."

***

"I called ahead to my wife and let her know to expect some stragglers. There's a hot bath running in here," the white-haired woman said. She opened the door to a large room, which looked like it was built in the early 1900s. Thick, ornate molding lined the walls, which were covered paintings of local wildlife. In the center of the room, there was a large four-poster bed with a fireplace at its foot.

"Is this your house?" Amelia asked. She stood in the doorway while the woman fluffed a few pillows.

"It's my business, technically. But yes, I live here."

"It's a hotel?" Amelia asked. It didn't look like a hotel, just a really big and really old house.

"A bed and breakfast. Jesus Christ, no wonder y'all got stuck up there," she said, shaking her head.

"My purse is in my car... I can Venmo..." Eve started to say.

"Good lord, enough. Go," the woman ushered Amelia and Eve in by the fireplace. "If you need anything, there's a phone on the nightstand. Assuming you know how to use it," she chuckled and walked out, closing the heavy wooden door behind her.

Eve wasted no time peeling her wet, mud-crusted clothes off and tossing them on the mantle above the fireplace. Amelia followed suit, slowly taking her boots and socks off while watching Eve out of the corner of her eye.

"You've seen it before," Eve said gruffly. She had seen her friend nude before, many times, but it was always in pool changing rooms or shopping mall dressing rooms. Amelia couldn't help but stare as Eve mechanically stripped. Eve had always been stick-thin, so much so that Amelia once forced her to see a nutritionist. Eve's parents certainly didn't care, but someone had to.

Amelia noticed that her face and legs were fuller on the hike, but her stomach and chest held weight they never did. She even had a stretch mark on her hip, which Amelia couldn't take her eyes off of.

"Come on," Eve said, standing over her. Amelia looked up to see her friend completely naked, her shaking hand outstretched. Amelia stood up and let Eve help her take her sweatshirt and sports bra off. Though she was putting on a stoic performance, Amelia caught Eve stealing glances at her breasts and hips as they were slowly revealed by Eve's frostbitten fingers.

Amelia let Eve take her to the bathroom, where a massive four-footed bath waited with hot, soapy water.

"Easy, slow," Eve said, holding her arm as she helped Amelia into the bath. The hot water felt like it was liquid lava pouring over the block of ice that was her leg. Amelia hissed in pain, but she let Eve lower her into the tub. As Eve lifted her leg to get in, Amelia saw the reflection of her sex on the water's surface. She forced herself to keep her eyes down as Eve lowered herself into the other side of the tub.

They were silent for half an hour, submerged up to their necks. Occasionally, a leg would brush against another, at first they quickly moved away, but they eventually fell into a comfortable twist under the water.

"I'm sorry," Eve broke the silence. Amelia opened her eyes, which had been closed for a few minutes. She felt Eve move her legs away and saw her hug them to her chest.

"What?" Amelia heard her, but in her mental and physical stasis, she couldn't understand what her friend could possibly be talking about.

"This was my idea and I should've known better. I could've gotten you really hurt, or..."

"You didn't," Amelia said. She didn't understand what Eve was getting at.

"No, I wanted to keep pushing when you knew to turn back. I'm always getting you into shit," Eve said. She stared at the surface of the water with a dejected look in her eyes.

"Here," Amelia opened her arms. She hooked her feet around Eve's heels and pulled her over to her side of the bath. Eve resisted a bit, smiled, then allowed herself to fall backwards into her friend's arms.

"This is ok?" Amelia asked, her arms awkwardly draped across Eve's shoulders. Physical intimacy wasn't a strength of hers, her many partners would tell her. She was always jumpy when someone tried to touch her, even a lover. Right now though, it felt like Eve was a puzzle piece that slid right into place.

"Very ok," Eve said. She shifted Amelia's arms so her hands landed on her hips.

"You were the only reason I didn't just lie down on the trail and give up. You gave me the blanket, you..." Amelia felt the emotion of the night all at once. She choked up and felt tears in her eyes, which she quickly wiped from existence. Eve turned around and brought her hands to Amelia's cheeks. They were so warm against her still cold skin.

"I promise I'm not trying to do anything," Eve said. "I just want you to be okay,"

Amelia looked at her lips, then back to her eyes. She gripped her hips a bit tighter and pulled Eve closer. What was this feeling? Her skin was numb from the cold and wrinkled from the water and her mind was barely functioning, thick with fatigue. But there was something simmering in her core. With all other senses exhausted, it was all she could feel. And the more her eyes flickered between Eve's lips and her eyes, the more she felt.

"What will I feel if I kiss you?" Amelia said aloud. Her voice was a whisper and her lips were inches from Eve's. She didn't even mean to speak what she was thinking, but as soon as she did, Eve's lips were upon hers. Her hands still on her cheeks, Eve held Amelia close as she kissed her.

"What do you feel?" Eve said, slightly separating her lips. Their foreheads touched, just barely. What did she feel? Amelia felt her senses return to her. Her skin felt awake and her mind was sharp and focused, though only on the woman in her lap.

"Everything," Amelia breathed. She ran her hands up from Eve's hips to her ribs, right below her breasts. Her skin was slippery and soft, bouncing back as she pressed her fingertips to her.

"You feel so... healthy," Amelia said. She felt Eve stiffen. Amelia immediately looked up, her hands floating off Eve's body into the water.

"I'm sorry..."

"You were the reason I didn't give up," Eve said. "I still go to that doctor, you know."

Amelia felt her heart soar. She brought her hands to Eve's cheeks, holding them as if they were precious stones.

"What does the rest of it feel like? Not just a kiss," Amelia asked. She couldn't find the words she needed to express what she felt, but she didn't know what to do physically either. Amelia barely even knew what felt good to her, let alone another woman.

Eve smiled and brought her lips to Amelia's ear.

"How badly do you want to know?"

"More than anything." Amelia gasped as she felt Eve plant a soft kiss on her collarbone. Her eyes followed Eve's hips as she lifted herself from the bath. Eve wrapped herself in a fluffy towel and opened the door to the bathroom. In the bedroom, the fire crackled and leaked a soft, orange glow. Eve left the door open for Amelia to follow, should she choose to.

Amelia quickly dried herself off and took a few careful steps into the bedroom, as if stepping over roots or mud puddles again. She caught her reflection in the mirror for a moment.

The mirror was normally a place of considerable scrutiny for Amelia, but when she wiped the condensation from the steam-fogged glass, she saw supple skin and a strong, athletic figure. Her hair was damp and pushed back out of her eyes, which were bright despite the exhaustion. More than anything, Amelia saw a frenetic confidence in her posture and expression.

In the bedroom, the fire crackled, shifting Amelia's attention. She let her towel fall to the bathroom floor and stepped into the orange glow. Eve was standing on a heavy blanket by the fire, nude with a fire poker in hand. She pushed a log around and set it back on the hook, turning to face Amelia. She eased herself onto the blanket. Reclined, Eve looked like a lounging goddess in a painting.

Amelia laid down next to her. She felt heat radiating from the fire and from the flesh of her friend. Eve swung her leg over Amelia, straddling her. She tucked her hair behind her ears and put her hands on the floor next to Amelia's head. Slowly, Eve bent down and put her lips to her ear.

"I've always dreamed of doing this," Eve said. Amelia felt blood rush to her cheeks in a mixture of embarrassment and flattery. They had been friends for years, how had Amelia not known that Eve was attracted to her? The attraction couldn't be more obvious now, with Eve's steady lips kissing a line down her collarbone to her breasts. Amelia closed her eyes and felt herself ignite under Eve's touch. It was as if every inch of her body was an erogenous zone, every kiss and touch felt like it was stoking her fire.

"You know what they say about idle hands," Eve whispered. She took Amelia's hands, which were lying motionless on the blanket, and put them on her hips. Amelia blushed again. She was nowhere near as experienced as Eve, and she couldn't get her insecurity out of her head.

"Sorry," Amelia whispered back. She opened her eyes to find Eve staring down at her with a hand wrapped around her jaw.

"Amelia," Eve said, pulling her lips close. "Stop thinking," Eve curled her other hand in between her legs and pressed her palm against her sex. Amelia gasped a light exhale as she felt pressure against her clit. Eve kept the heel of her palm on her clit and slipped a single finger inside her. Amelia put up no resistance, she was thoroughly wet with the slick, sticky arousal around her opening. Eve's lips journeyed back down her neck to her chest as she slowly grinded her hand in between Amelia's legs. Her lips and fingers were slow, agonizingly slow, as they teased Amelia into a deep state of arousal. Eve withdrew her finger as she closed her lips around one of Amelia's erect nipples. She sucked lightly and used her finger, thoroughly lubricated, to slowly circle her clit. Amelia felt electricity shoot up her core to her chest. Eve's finger felt incredible, but her lips and tongue were even more talented, and they were only working on her breasts. Amelia wanted to feel Eve's lips on her pussy, but she had no idea how to ask.

"Can you... oh, fuck... can you..." Amelia muttered, unable to put words together as liquid pleasure coursed through her veins.

"Can I what?" Eve looked up with an evil smile. Her finger kept slipping up and down Amelia's clit to her vulva, circling at the top.

"You know what," Amelia said, thrusting her hips against the teasing finger. Eve said nothing and shifted down between her legs, her lips now tormenting her inner thigh, inches from where she truly wanted the attention. Amelia felt Eve's tongue lick long lines up her thigh. God, she knew what she was doing.

"You'll have to be more specific," Eve teased. Amelia could feel her hot breath on her sensitive skin. It wasn't even that she wanted an orgasm, it felt like a primal need. After what had to have been a minute of pleasure torture, Amelia reached between her legs, grabbed a fistfull of Eve's hair, and pressed her pussy against Eve's outsretched tongue. Eve's hands shot up to grab Amelia's hips, fingernails digging into skin as her tongue worked its way through arousal-slick folds. The pleasure was unbearably intense, but Amelia wanted more -- she needed more.

"Come here," Amelia said. She pulled Eve up and kissed her deeply. She tasted herself on Eve's lips, a taste that normally turned her off was now like honey dripping from her lips.

"I want to taste you too," Amelia said. She pulled away from Eve, who was breathing heavily with sweat on her forehead. Eve's eyes and lips widened with excitement. She pushed Amelia onto her back and positioned her legs next to her head. Amelia breathed in her scent. It was strong and fragrant, as if she had been aroused for hours. Light from the fire flickered across Eve's pussy, briefly illuminating her parted folds. Amelia had never been so close to another woman's vagina, but it was a beautiful sight. She wrapped her arms around Eve's butt and pressed her down so she could taste her. Eve's hips lowered so that her pussy was barely an inch above Amelia's lips. She felt Eve in between her legs lick a painfully slow line down her pussy.

Amelia felt Eve pause, as if she were waiting for an answer. With a tentative, pointed tongue, Amelia parted her lips and dragged her tongue up Eve's sex. Intoxicated by her taste, Amelia buried her lips between Eve's legs, licking and sucking greedily as Eve returned the favor. Hands wandered across thighs, backs, and sides as tongues worked with lusty fervor. Amelia copied Eve's rhythm and applied it to her: slow strokes with a broad tongue across her clit. Almost immediately, Eve's thighs tightened around her head, muffling her moans into incomprehension. Amelia felt Eve stop licking for a moment and press her head to her thigh, distracted enough to stop her pleasuring.

"Yes... don't stop..." Eve said, whispering into Amelia's pussy. Amelia felt Eve's legs spasm around her head and her pussy push harder against her lips. A melody of moans and gasps floated from Eve's lips, urging Amelia's tongue to keep working. Unbelievably, a second orgasm erupted through Eve. Then a third, a fourth...

"FUCK," Eve was screaming now. She just had her fifth orgasm and Amelia was completely hypnotized by the gyrating hips above her face. Though her tongue was tired and her neck was cramping, she would've let Eve ride her face until the sun came up. Amelia went to extend her tongue again, but Eve danced away and shakily climbled off her face.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Eve asked. Her face was pink and a thin layer of sweat reflected the light from the fire. She looked disheveled, like she just wrestled with a wild animal.