Needing an Adventure
I've been working very hard on a contract proposal at work, and we just submitted it. It will be a week or so until we hear if we've made the shortlist, so I can use a break.
Reading my newspaper on Wednesday evening with an after-dinner wine, I see an article in the travel section about horse riding and it seems lovely. At the end, there's a list of places offering horse riding lessons.
I search them and find one by and for women only - Riding To Heaven. I bring up their website and gape at the amazing mountain scenery. The staff are all women and only adult women are allowed as customers. That's attractive, as I don't need to be around Y chromosomes and testosterone.
They have a two-day weekend package, staying in a nice-looking cabin. It's expensive, but what the heck, I'm worth it. I'm lucky I can book the last available space this weekend. I receive an email with details and a map link. I put a calendar entry in my phone with the location. I see it takes almost two hours at this time, but Friday evening will be in peak hour, so I will arrange to take the afternoon off and leave early to get there for dinner.
At work the next day I'm excited and I start to relax from the grind of the proposal. I daydream of the weekend, thinking of little else. Fortunately, there's not a lot of work to do, so I decide to take all of Friday off.
On Thursday night, I read the suggested clothing list for riding:
Pants:
Sturdy, slim-fitting but not too tight
Boots:
Sturdy, with a thick heel, so your foot doesn't slip through the stirrup; they don't have to be cowboy boots
Top:
To suit the weather - the temperature can vary, so bring a variety, but long sleeves protect from the sun at the higher altitude
Hat:
Wide-brimmed to keep off the sun, with a chin strap or string to keep it from falling off
Gloves:
Thin, snug-fitting gloves to avoid blisters from the reins
Panties:
Briefs for riding - thongs are for evening only, or you'll regret it
Jacket:
One light jacket and one medium jacket
I rummage around my closets to see what I already have and then make a shopping list for the morning and search for shops that have what I need.
On Friday morning, I shop, return home and pack. I'm so excited, I can hardly contain myself. This will be a new adventure for me. I've only ridden a horse a few times but I'm quite fit, so I figure I'm up for it.
Dinner is at 7:00 tonight, so I plan my arrival for 6:00 to let me settle into my cabin first. I allow 2-1/2 hours, just in case, so I leave at 3:30. I connect my phone to my car's audio system, start the map app, and then start my favorite tune playlist.
The traffic is better than I expected, and after I get out of the city, my phone tells me I should arrive at 5:37. I set the cruise control for just under the speed limit and relax, listening to my music.
Arrival
I turn off the main highway and take back roads until I see the sign for Riding To Heaven. I turn into the gravel driveway and drive through a conifer grove until I break into a meadow and I see the ranch with mountains behind it. I gasp at the beauty.
I pull to the entrance, park and step in. I check in and find I will be sharing a cabin with another woman. I haven't done that since college, but it should be all right.
I am shown to my cabin, the farthest one from the office building. I am there first, so I test both double beds and choose the one away from the door. I unpack and look around. The bathroom is basic but adequate. There seems to be plenty of hot water, so it's civilized.
I wash my face and hands and sit on a sofa, reading the welcome pack. The door opens, and my roommate is shown in. She's a gorgeous young woman, maybe twenty, with a cute short hairstyle, just hinting at a chic butch look. We smile broadly at each other.
"Hi, I'm Mary," I offer.
"Celine. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you. What brings you here?"
"My mom gave me the weekend as a high-school graduation present."
"Awesome! She must love you."
"Yeah, she's pretty great."
"I'm pampering myself after some hard work."
We chat for a while longer as she unpacks, then we head to dinner.
Dinner
At dinner, Arlene introduces herself as the owner. "Welcome to Riding To Heaven, ladies. My staff and I hope you find your weekend exhilarating. The weather will be perfect for you - dry and warm but not too hot during the day, although nights get cool quickly up here, so have your jackets handy in the evening.
"We'll have an orientation meeting at 8:30 in the morning, so get up early and have breakfast before that. Enjoy your dinner."
There are six guests. There will be two more arriving in the morning, they tell us. I count eight staff, and I'm impressed at the 1:1 ratio.
We are introduced to the staff, and my eye is drawn to one in particular. Nicole has a beautiful oval face, a firm and fit body, long blond hair just covering her full boobs and a smile that penetrates my soul. I gaze at her and try to get her attention. I catch her eye a couple of times, and she smiles at me but then looks away. Damn, what do I have to do?
Two other guests join Celine and me at our table. We have a hearty dinner and enjoy pleasant conversation with them. I keep looking around at Nicole, vainly hoping to talk with her this evening, but she stays at the staff table.
Bedtime
Celine and I walk back to our cabin, talking about how hot the staff women are. "Nicole makes me wet, Celine."
"Yeah, she's nice. I have my eye on Monica." We smile at each other, recognizing we both like women.
We enter the cabin and close the door quickly to keep the cold air out. I find the heater and turn it on. We get into our nighties, eyeing each other's naked bodies momentarily. I feel a nervous tension, as I wonder if she will make a move, or if she will accept a move from me.