Chasing Fire

Your Tree or Mine - Part 11

There was only one bed in the tree house and Bear insisted on Noralee taking it like a perfect Gentleman. She said she didn't mind sleeping in her sleeping bag on the floor, but he wouldn't have it any other way. There was an awkward silence as they both stood next to the bed looking at it. The bed was big enough for both, but Noralee didn't want to be forward, even though she was starting to have strong feelings for the strange, wild man of the woods. There was a look he gave her that lingered over her that told her he was having the same ideas. They were like castaways. A modern Tarzan and Jane living together in the jungle away from civilization and making their own rules for their private society. She thought about a verse from a poem by Emily Dickenson: "The Soul selects her own Society. Then - Shuts the door."

They were moving in tandem in a direction of a closed society, shutting the door to civilization. It was amazing how close they became over a few days. Perhaps it was the wildness of nature speaking to their own wild natures or the lack of distractions, the solitary focus on each other. She felt like there was a magnet inside her pulling her closer to him more and more, minute by minute. This overwhelming wave knocking her reason down, making her open herself up to him or the thought of being with him for a long time in a way that was intimate and personal.

Making dinner together in the treehouse felt like a Honeymoon getaway. It was so peaceful with the swaying branches outside the windows and the whispering leaves in harmony with the singing birds. Noralee could see herself never leaving the forest, as crazy as that sounded, so she had to stop and physically slap herself, hard. She reasoned with the little logic she had left, that it was pheromones and the isolation making her want to pin him to the bed and cover his face with passionate kisses, nothing more. If they were back in civilization things would be different. Then he looked up from the basin he was washing dishes in and smiled a slow grin that spread into a wide, irrepressible smile and her heart started to backslide to the beginning of her argument. She had made a mistake with Dewayne and he was a jerk. Couldn't she make a mistake with Bear, even if it didn't last long. It wouldn't be the worst thing she had ever done. But she knew that wasn't who she was at all. She was a relationship girl, through and through, never even contemplating a one night stand, ever. Well, if Channing Tatum started dancing naked Magic Mike style she would consider it, -oh whatever, who was she kidding, Hell yes, she would take him as he came for one night.

Bear took off his shirt to get ready for bed. Magic Mike move over. She wanted some Magic Bear to snuggle. Her breath caught in her chest, "Dear Lord. I am so sorry for being a sinner, but honestly, you shouldn't have given him a sexy body like that if you didn't want me lust after him. Those abs! She could scrub her clothes clean on those tight babies and then lick him clean. Oh, no, no, no, Noralee, you are such a bad, bad girl,"

She was thankful he couldn't hear the internal dialogue in her head, "Yes. Yes. I am going to look, so when I am eighty and in a nursing home I can remember I was holed up in a treehouse in the middle of the forest with a freaking hot guy who was funny, sincere, smart and sweet, oh yeah, and did I mention sexy as the Devil himself." She patted her forehead, thinking he was giving her a fever with all the hot thoughts invading her mind. Finally, she buried her face in her hands when she saw him unfasten his belt and remove his jeans. He told her he got hot at night and tried to sleep as close to naked as possible. Ummmm, not helping the hot thoughts in her mind. She noticed as his boxer short hung low on his hips he had those cut, delicious looking hip muscles only fit guys have if they work out hard all the time. Jesus, Mary, Joseph and Jose Feliciano, please help me, she cried out in her mind. There was soft trail of downy hair leading down those boxes on an otherwise smooth body.

"What is the matter, Noralee? Are you feeling ok?" He crouched down and rubbed her back so tenderly with genuine caring. "Your cheeks are so flushed and your pupils are the size of saucers. I hope you aren't getting sick."

She tried to not look at him half naked, but he was the most delicious sight like a piece of succulent chocolate cake staring at her from a plate in a lonely room, saying "Eat me."

"I think I am just a little hot. Maybe I should change for bed too." She got up quickly and pulled the curtain between the two rooms and ransacked her backpack, hoping and praying she brought something a little feminine to sleep in with her. She was in luck. She had packed her silky, baby doll nightie in a soft pink that was almost translucent against her pale skin. "This will set him on fire!" She took little time changing and took her braids out and brushed her silky hair, pulling the soft waves over her breasts. Then she put on a smidge of lipstick and mascara. She was ready to meet him in the fire pit and slowly pulled the curtain open between the rooms and stood there waiting, standing with legs slightly hips distance apart so he could get a better view of what the shadows in the room were hiding.

His eyes grew wider than she had ever seen them and his mouth drew open a little by an involuntary reflex of some sort. He covered his mouth and mumbled something.

"I'm sorry. I didn't catch that. Did you say something?" She smiled slightly trying to stay mysterious and seductive.

He was trying to talk, but just couldn't get the words out and he drew a few deep breaths, finally muttering, "Wow."

Noralee had him at a disadvantage and raised her eyebrow in classic Scarlet O'Hara style, "So, your side of the tree house or mine?"