A LITTLE BUBBLYBard Valentine Invitational 2014 For readers familiar with my stories, these ladies will be well known to you. Mickey Minner Copyright © 2014 Mickey Minner
Perched in the middle of a hot springs with mineral scented water softly bubbling up around her, Pat sat contently on a submerged boulder. “Do you plan to stay there?” she asked her partner who seemed disinclined to join her. “Is it warm?” Sherry asked balancing on one of the large rocks forming an informal border around the springs. “Yes… so get your clothes off and come join me.” Sherry glanced back down the barely discernable path that had brought them out of the forest and across the meadow to the springs. “Are you sure it’s safe?” she asked nervously even though she saw no one else in the area. Pat chuckled. “Honey, I’ve been skinny dipping in this hot springs since my freshman year in college… I haven’t been caught yet.” Cautiously, Sherry hopped off the rock. “You better be right,” she warned moving to the bush where her lover’s clothes had been disorderly tossed a few minutes earlier. “Hurry up, honey,” Pat urged. “We have to start back for the road before dark if you don’t want to get lost in the forest. “Somehow, I think the likelihood of that is quite small,” Sherry muttered taking another long look back across the meadow. Satisfied they were indeed alone she bent over to untie her hiking boots. “Which? Starting back before dark or getting lost?” “Getting lost,” Sherry answered after pulling her shirt off over her head. “You seem to have some internal compass… you always know exactly where we are even without a map.” Pat chuckled. “I’ve been wandering around these mountains most of my life. And just so you know, I never go hiking without a compass,” she proudly informed Sherry. Sherry draped her jeans over the other items on the bush then carefully moved to the edge of the springs. With a look of doubt crossing her features, she stepped into the warm, bubbling water. “Ah, this feels good,” she moaned settling on the boulder beside her lover. “Told ya.” Sherry grinned. “Yes, you did,” she agreed kissing Pat on the cheek. “Stop worrying,” Pat said. Sherry’s constant glances around the meadow were not going unnoticed. “There aren’t very many people who know about this place.” “Really?” Sherry asked not feeling too reassured by the declaration. Pat shifted to sit behind Sherry, wrapping her arms around her waist and resting her chin on her uneasy lover’s shoulder. “Really.” Sherry sighed, her body beginning to relax in the warm water. “This really does feel good,” she said rubbing her nose that twitched at the acerbic fragrance rising from the pool. “I wish we could spend more time doing things like this during the season.” “You mean getting naked and wet?” Pat asked tickling the skin around Sherry’s belly button. “Pat!” Sherry squawked pulling away. “You are so bad,” she said reaching back to poke Pat in the ribs. “Ow,” Pat protested batting the troublesome finger away. “Isn’t that what you meant?” “What I meant,” Sherry replied glaring at her grinning lover, “was doing things that have nothing to do with basketball.” Pat tightened her hold on Sherry, pulling her back against her. “Sorry, but that just isn’t possible during the season. Heck, we barely have time to sit in our hot tub at home.” With a contented sigh, Sherry relaxed. “It really was nice of you to give everyone this afternoon off,” she said after several quiet moments. When practice stopped for the lunch break, Pat had shocked everyone by releasing the players for the remainder of the day. Then she had surprised Sherry by suggesting a drive up Lolo Pass. Shortly before reaching the summit, Pat drove off the main highway and down a gravel road for a few miles before parking along the side of the road. After grabbing a day pack off the back seat, she led Sherry into the forest. Pat smiled. “Everyone’s been working hard… and with the really important games coming up, I thought it might do everyone some good before we start the road trip ahead.” “It sure is doing me some good,” Sherry stated snuggling into Pat’s embrace. “Thanks for bringing me here.” She gazed around the meadow; this time, enjoying the peaceful scene instead of worrying about intruders. “It’s so pretty… it’s hard to believe no one knows about this place.” “There aren’t many.” “How’d you find it?” “I was poking around one day looking for an old logging camp I had read about in one of my classes. I never found the camp but I did find this springs.” “Lucky you,” Sherry said smiling. “How come no one else knows about it? I thought hot springs in these mountains were really popular.” “The better known ones are… like the Lolo Hot Springs and the ones on the Idaho side of the pass; but for whatever reason, this one has gone mostly unnoticed. It probably helps that there isn’t a well defined trail leading to it. And those of us who do know about it don’t share that knowledge too often.” “Do you have a secret handshake?” Sherry teased squirming on the hard rock. “You know, I don’t think you ever told me what you studied in college,” she said after finding a more comfortable spot on their stone seat. “I don’t recall you ever asking.” Sherry giggled. “I think I’ve had other things on my mine.” Pat smirked. “Like getting naked and wet?” she offered, immediately regretting it when a sharp elbow attacked her ribs. “Ow!” “Serves you right, you naughty girl.” “Maybe you should spank me.” Sherry glowered over her shoulder at her lover. “You should be ashamed,” she said trying to keep from laughing. Pat grinned. “Nothing about us makes me ashamed,” she declared leaning forward to kiss conveniently located lips. “Nothing,” she repeated when they separated after several moments. “Me, either,” Sherry agreed shifting to sit with her legs draped over Pat’s and her head resting on her lover’s shoulder. Drawing light circles on sensitive skin, Pat’s hand started up the inside of Sherry’s thigh. “You know we have some time before we need to head back to the car. We could spread out a blanket—” Sherry jerked upright. “Patricia Calvin, do not even think about suggesting that we go for a roll in the grass,” Sherry said sternly. “I have no intention of ending up with who knows what in places I can’t even imagine.” “Spoil sport,” Pat pouted. “It’s not that bad,” she added meekly. Sherry stared at her lover. “You’ve actually done that?” she asked incredulously. “Out here,” she continued waving her arms about, “where anyone could catch you!” “Um… well… actually,” Pat stammered feeling a blush creeping up her neck. Sherry sat quietly waited for an answer. Pat’s eyes dropped to the bubbling water surrounded them. “No, I haven’t,” she admitted. Slowly, her eyes rose to meet Sherry’s. “But I’d sure like to,” she said hopefully. Giggling, Sherry fell against Pat who instantly wrapped her in a firm embrace. “Do you know how much I love you?” “As much as I love you. Come on, we better get out of here before we turn into prunes.” Pat stood up, her toes digging into the soft mud at the bottom of the springs as she offered a hand to Sherry. Sherry allowed herself to be tugged out of the hot water and followed Pat to their clothes. “I hope you brought towels.” “I did,” Pat responded pulling two fluffy towels from the back pack and handing one to Sherry. Sherry started drying her body. “Honey, do you know what tomorrow is?” she asked dropping the towel onto the backpack then retrieving her bra and panties. “Friday?” “Yes, but that’s not what I was thinking,” Sherry said. “Umm… the day after today?” “Wrong again.” Stepping into her jeans, Pat tried again. “The day we fly to Little Rock for the first of five road games?” After slipping her shirt over her head, Sherry gazed incredulously at her lover. “Do you really not know what tomorrow is?” she demanded, more than a little annoyed at Pat’s lack of insight. Then she saw the corners of her partner’s mouth twitching. “You do know,” she accused. “Sweetheart,” Pat said slipping her arm around Sherry’s waist to pull her close. “How could I forget Valentine’s Day?” Sherry grinned. “You sure had me worried.” “You really thought I didn’t know? Now my feelings are hurt,” Pat said, her lower lip poking out. “I love you.” Sherry kissed Pat on the cheek. “All better?” Pat smiled. “Much.” “So do we have any plans?” Pat picked up the discarded towels then knelt down to tuck them back into the pack. She straightened up and swung the pack onto her shoulder. “I figured with the team traveling tomorrow, it would be a little awkward to get away for dinner by ourselves.” “Very true,” Sherry agreed tying the laces on her hiking books. “So I thought you might like to go on over the pass to the Lodge and have dinner there tonight,” Pat suggested as she started for the trail. Smiling, Sherry ran after Pat. “That sounds wonderful,” she said grabbing her lover’s hand. “Too bad we can’t spend the night,” she added regretfully. “Who says we can’t?” Pat rebutted. “Pat, we have to be at the arena by six.” “It’s less than a two hour drive from the Lodge to the arena. We’ll just get up a couple of hours earlier than normal.” “We need to pack for the road trip— remember we leave for the airport right after lunch tomorrow.” “Already done and the bags are in the back of the car.” “Really?” Pat nodded. “Do you really think we could stay there tonight?” “I’m pretty sure we can,” Pat said grinning. “Made the reservations this morning. “You brat,” Sherry exclaimed. “You had this all planned out.” “Yeppers.” Sherry closed the distance between them and wrapped her arm around Pat’s waist. “You are too good to me,” she said as they continued across the meadow. Pat draped an arm over Sherry’s shoulders. “Nothing is too good for the woman I love,” she declared. HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY |