Hiking Together

The sprawling Southern Sierra wilderness offered breathtaking vista. Its rugged landscape covered in shrubs and small evergreens, a fast flowing shallow stream and rolling hills are a far cry from the asphalt, skyscrapers and constant stream of city traffic. It's also peaceful. It's a region that sees my girlfriend and I hiking whenever we have a chance.

That day in June dawned sunny and hot. What else is new? An RN in the I C U at L A General Hospital, I get a midweek day off work in exchange for a Saturday. Danelle, a software engineer, had taken a day off from her employer Basis Technologies.

Both of us keep fit, just not usually by hiking up a mountain. At 5' 8" tall, her eyes are at the same level as mine. Both of us have good muscle tone, an athletic body type. Both of us are a C cup.

We had been hiking for approximately a half hour, the exertion taking its toll on my legs. Dani, no doubt, felt it as well. I remarked that " I can go for a pizza and a beer."

"I hear ya," Dani replied.

"Do you want to turn back?"

"Good idea," I replied. "The legs are tired."

Dani's extensive collection of audio books acquired from audible.com has been increasing since she and I started dating two years ago this week. Though mostly lesbian romance, there are a few by Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts.

"They pass the time during long rides," she once told me.

As we headed back to our apartment she cued up a romance titled "The X Ingrediant" In the story a down on her luck, small town girl "Laura Holcomb" takes a job as legal assistant in a huge Atlanta firm. There, she falls in love with lawyer "Diana Parker" the head of the firm.

I soon found myself engrossed in the tale by Roslyn Sinclair.

"The head lawyer is a bit standoffish."

"One way of putting it," said Dani.

I nodded.

These stories always end with the main characters falling in love. I wonder whose place they'll move into. How much judgemental inspired crap will they have thrown at them?

The scenery rushed past the Honda at 50 miles an hour. As we closed the distance to our apartment in Culver City my craving for pizza grew stronger.

"I'm aching for some La Rocco's pizza."

"Me too," my girlfiend replied.

Life has a way of trying to interfere with plans. Little did I suspect that Todd Kessler, my former boyfriend, wanted to rekindle our romance. I had broken up with him because it wasn't right, not becuase he's a bad guy.

Dani and I were having a leisurely meal when my phone buzzed with a text message.

"It's been a long time. Can we talk?"

OH my god. After all this time.

I closed the message and dropped the phone into my pocketbook, a small green crossbody bag.

As though reading my expression Danielle asked, "was it important."

"My X boyfriend," I said.

"Really," she said with a grin. "When you talked about your past relationship you never said it was with a guy."

"I'm sorry. I gave you all the details I thought were important."

"It's not a big deal Steph. I'm just surprised. That's all."

"I'll never forget his reaction the night I came out to him. I could just see it in his eyes. He was fighting back tears."

"You little heartbreaker," my girlfriend teased.

"I didn't tell him who the girl was. She was actualy his cousin Kayla."

"So what happened?"

"She broke it off. She said it 'didn't feel right'."

Later that night back in my apartment there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," I said, rising from my sofa.

I'll bet it's Todd.

"May I come inside?"

I stepped aside quietly letting him cross the threshold.

"I miss you Stephanie."

I gave a silent nod. Danielle came to my side.

"Todd this is my girlfriend Danielle."

"You were serious," Todd exclaimed.

"Yes I was serious. She and I have been together for two years."

"I thought it was just a fling when you were seeing my cousin."

"Kayla broke it off otherwise I'd probably still be with her."

There was silence for a long minute then Todd left us in my apartment.

I turned to Danielle who seemed to need reassurance.

"You're the one I want to be with, I want to spend my life with you."

"And I want to spend my life with you," she replied.

"I'll always regard Todd as a friend."

I pulled her into a deep kiss that tasted of wine and wedding bells. When we broke apart after several seconds we were both winded. We leaned into another kiss, this one even longer in duration. Her hand had crept upward under my shirt to the backband and my bra slipped.

Barely a minute passed before lay intwined on my bed exploring every inch of each other. Our clothes and undies lay scattered on my livingroom floor.

After several minutes and multiple orgasms I lay eshausted and huffing. The love of my life stared down into my eyes, her smile telling me that I'm her everything.

A few weeks passed uneventfully since Danielle met my X boyfriend. The time had come to let her know how much she means to me. Sometimes people think alike even though they don't realize it.

A brisk Saturday in October found us hiking the trail to the iconic Hollywood sign, a hike that I had suggested long ago. Having reached the top, we stood at the base of the H

Danielle pulled a small black felt box from her jeans pocket, went down to her left knee.

"Marry me," she said, her voice soft.

Wthout anoter word she opened the box revealing a pink tourmaline and pink sapphire sterling silver ring

"Yes yes yes yes," I replied joyfully.

The ring slid easily onto my finger.

At the base of the H I pulled her into a deep kiss, my arms draping over her shoulders.

When we broke away from the kiss the powerful urge to tell her about the ring meant for her struck me.

"Dani I bought a ring just like this one to give to you." As the words hung in the air my eyes shifted downward to the ring. "This would've been My engagement ring to you."

"Then do it right. Get down on one knee and put it on me."

I flashed a broad toothy smile.