Heat [ MF, cons, light bond, outdoors ]
(C) 1994
By Crimson Dragon (dcrimson@yahoo.com)

Even the ever present mosquitoes were silent. The sun beat down
relentlessly. Mist slowly rose from the still pond; the branches
of the surrounding glades had not even a hint of movement. The
crystal blue of the sky above only broken by the blazing ball of
heat.

She gazed out the window, glad for the relief of the air
conditioning. She could hear the whine of the cicadas as they
called out in protest in the overpowering heat. Elvis singing
his Memphis blues softly behind her. She slowly ran her fingers
through her hair and sighed. She didn't really want to go out.
But she needed to.

As she stepped out onto the rough wooden porch, the whine of the
insects sharpened. Immediately, sweat sprang to the surface of
her exposed body. She had dropped her clothing at the window as
though it were simply a burden. She reveled in the heat; let
herself loose to the sensations. The rough boards under her bare
soles. The oppressive heat soaking into her flesh. The smell of
the pond, the grass, the glades. She shook her hair free and
stepped through the screened doorway and descended the steps to
the manicured grass below. She felt free, like a child. She had
shed her clothes, the comfort of the house; she wanted her
freedom. The blades of grass beneath her feet, the humidity in
the hot air. She took a deep breath and ran beneath the boughs
of the glades along the lawn towards the pond laughing at her
freedom, arms outstretched, legs pumping.

As she paused by the dock, she marveled at the simplicity of it.
The heat, the stillness, the smell of summer. She lightly
stepped onto the boards of the dock, and her splash broke the
still of the afternoon. She dove long under the water, breaking
the surface with a gasp. She floated, her hair fanned out in the
quiet clear water. Cool. Refreshing. Clean. Looking up, she saw
him. Casually walking down from the side of the house, watching
her with a small smile on his face. She smiled back to him, and
stroked towards the deck. She climbed out and stretched out on
the dock letting the sun dry her body. She waiting for him.

He knelt down on the dock by her head. His eyes roamed up her
body; her face and body wet and heaving with her exertion.
Finally his eyes rested on her face. She had not asked him, but
he knew as soon as he had seen her running to the pond. He was
prepared for her question.

As she started to speak, he pressed his finger gently to her
lips. He raised his eyebrows and merely asked, "How long?" She
whispered, only an hour or two if he would bring her water and
check on her. He nodded.

She rolled over onto her stomach, feeling the roughness of the
dock beneath her bare breasts and thighs. Raised herself to her
hands and knees, finally rising to her bare feet. They walked
hand in hand towards the nearest cypress. It was a large tree,
its branches forming a canopy, a shield from the overpowering
sun. As they reached it, she sank to her knees on the grass. The
shade of the huge tree gave only partial relief from the heat.
The grass felt warm under her calves. She held her hands up as
if in supplication and her eyes lowered to the green grass.

"You sure?" he asked. She nodded.

Prepared, he produced some rough cord from his back pocket and
wrapped her wrists gently in the cords. She tested the bonds,
realizing that they would not slip. She shivered despite the
overpowering heat. She stood up, allowing him to attach her
wrists to a perfect branch just above her head. Knowing she
would be needing some water soon, he turned to go. She called
him softly. Murmured that she would like her feet done too.
Shaking his head, he knelt and quickly lashed her bare ankles
together. Not too tight, for she wanted to stay there for a
while. She tested the new bonds by pulling at her feet. She
wasn't going anywhere real fast.

This time as he turned to go, she let him. She tested the bonds
until he returned with a glass of water with ice. He ran the
glass over her forehead, cooling her. Smiling, he lowered the
glass, and ran the cold surface over her bare breasts and
nipples. Crying out softly, she tried to twist away. Unable to
twist far enough to escape him, her breath hitched as he only
teased her with the icy touch and brought the rim of the glass
to her lips. She drank quickly. The tip of her tongue emerged
and deliberately licked the remaining water from her lips.

He sat on the grass beside her and realized the simple beauty of
the day. The stillness, the heat. He could see why she was out
here but he would never fully understand her. What did she get
out of this? Tied to a tree, on a day like this? He shook his
head. Strange. But it made her happy. He knew he loved her. He
would do anything for her.

He stood and walked over to her. Taking her head gently in his
hands, he kissed her on the lips. She responded feeling the
roughness of his clothing on her bare skin. The feeling of
control, despite not being able to move her arms and legs, was
strangely reassuring. He broke the kiss and slowly turned away.
She wanted more, but was unwilling to break the still to ask for
it. Unable to follow, she turned her head to watch him return to
the house.

She relaxed in her bonds. Her sensations tuned to everything
around her. If she really strained she could even hear Elvis
from the house through the steady drone of the cicadas. Maybe he
had turned up the stereo a little. The frogs whined in the still
air. She could smell the water so close. She could nearly feel
the water rising up on her naked body as she imagined the
freedom of swimming. She couldn't return to the pond, but she
didn't regret it. Peace washed over her as she closed her eyes
and waited.

She didn't remember sleeping, but she remembered dreams of far
off lands and heat. Heat. The day had gotten even warmer. She
was glad she had chosen a prison in the shade. She needed a
sunburn like she needed another commitment. She heard the screen
door close and heard footsteps coming down from the house. She
turned her head and watched as he moved across the lawn carrying
two glasses of iced tea. She pulled weakly at her ropes to
relieve a cramp. He set the glasses on the grass and slowly ran
his hands down her back. Gently kneading out the stiffness and
soreness of staying in the same position so long. His hands
strayed around front, gently brushing her bare breasts and
lightly stroking the nipples. She felt herself responding
immediately to the touch, lightly gasping. His hands strayed
down her front tickling her stomach. And lightly stroking
between her legs. She wished that she could return the favour,
but she wasn't about to allow herself to be released yet. She
got these ropes so seldom, that she just had to enjoy it while
she could.

His hands left her, leaving her flustered and sweating even
more. He raised the glass to her lips, insisting that she drink.
She sipped the tea gratefully; she had no idea that she was as
thirsty as she was. He kissed her again. Pulled back and looked
into her pretty face. "Sure you don't want out?" She shook her
head and pulled at her wrists, frustrated at her inability to
reach him. He turned away once more, retiring to the house to
watch her from the window. She might enjoy the sensations of the
bondage, but there was no way in hell, that he was going to
leave her alone out here. Naked, vulnerable. He could be at her
side in seconds if required. But she knew her limits, her
desires. She wouldn't need him.

She just wanted to be alone. With herself. To where she
retreated while she was out there, was beyond his comprehension.
All he knew was that she needed it. She needed this once in a
while, as an addict needs his fix. As the bird needs its nest.
As everyone needs someone to love. She stood quietly, at peace.
He envied her that and wished it was as simple for himself. Did
she love him? As he loved her? He wasn't sure.

She was lost again. She wasn't tied to the large cypress any
longer. She was free. Exploring herself, her thoughts, her
being. She didn't quite understand this facet of her life. She
knew that he couldnŐt hope to understand. But at least he didn't
look at her like a leper when she had first explained this
aspect of her life. This was her escape. She knew that it wasn't
wrong. She lost herself again into her dreams.

This time, he had to wake her. She pulled herself up using the
cords on her wrists. She grimaced a bit at the pain in her
hands. They had fallen asleep. He pressed a glass of cool water
to her lips. When she was finished, he knelt down and released
her ankles from their prison. She realized the freedom and shook
out each leg until the circulation was fully restored to her
bare feet. Her reached up and released her wrists from the
branch. Almost a ritual, she knelt in the grass and offered her
hands up to him, eyes downcast. He quickly removed the cord from
about her wrists and kissed the back of her hands. She rose to
her feet and shook her hands out restoring their circulation as
she had for her feet. She cried out softly as the pins and
needles attacked her hands. Hearing the cry and sympathizing
with the pain, he wrapped his arm about her shoulders and held
her. She murmured something that he couldn't quite hear.

After the pain had subsided, they silently joined hands and
walked slowly back towards the house. She turned halfway and
gazed down to her prison where she had been standing for hours.
She could hardly believe that she had done it again. But she
felt relaxed now. In control. Herself again.

She sat her bare bottom on the grass, pulling at his hand to
join her. She looked up into the sky and realized that it was
getting darker. The afternoon had turned to early evening. They
sat together, her nude, him clothed and watched the sky turn
colour. She looked into his eyes realizing that the sun was
still setting there, too. Tears began to fall gently from her
eyes. Concerned he touched her face brushing the tears from her
cheeks. He held her, not fully understanding her but knowing
that she needed it.

"I love you," she whispered from in his arms. And everything was
all right.