A Place To Stay

Chapter Six - Warmth

The next evening, Claire and Cliff hustled around the farm, trying to get everything ready. It was predicted to be the worst snowstorm of the year. Gotz had already gone door to door warning everyone. Claire herded the livestock into pens in the center of the barn, and Cliff nailed boards over the windows. Claire put extra food in the troughs just in case they couldn’t get out to feed them the next day.

Finally, they finished and ate dinner before settling down for the night.

At about midnight, Claire awoke. The storm howled outside, and suddenly the power went out. It was already dark in the house, but it became very quiet as all the appliances, including the heater, silenced their hums. Claire fell back asleep, but woke up not longer later, shivering with cold.

Claire could hear soft footsteps coming towards her room.

“Claire?” Cliff’s voice called out of the darkness.

“Hey,” she replied.

“I guess the power went out.” Cliff said. “It’s, um, really cold out here….do you have any extra blankets?”

Her eyes grew accustomed to the darkness and she could make him out in the doorway, shifting his weight uneasily from side to side. She sat up in bed, hugging her knees. “I do…I wonder if it’s going to come back on?” she mused. “It’s going to be record breaking cold tonight, and that’s going to be miserable with no heater.” She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, shivering. She moved forward towards the small fireplace. “Who knows why this house has a fireplace in the bedroom but not in the living room.” she said as she kneeled, fumbling for the matches. She got the fire lit and it flared and crackled soothingly. She looked up at Cliff. “Well, um…I really doubt the power is going to come back on, if it hasn’t yet…and it’s going to get even colder out in the living room, even with more blankets…this will be the only warm room in the house…” she trailed off.

“I can sleep on the floor in here,” Cliff said.

Claire’s face grew hot, and not just from the surging fire in front of her. “No, I don’t really think that would be comfortable, and it might be dangerous having blankets so close to the fireplace.”

Understanding lit up Cliff’s face, and he suddenly looked both frightened and excited. “Oh. Oh!” he said.

She smiled sheepishly at him. “It won’t be that bad,” she said. “It’s a queen size bed, and I promise not to kick.”

“Right,” he said, staring at the bed.

Claire stood up. “Well…” she cleared her throat, then walked back over to the bed and climbed in. Cliff stood immobile in the doorway, sheer terror all over his face. She patted the bed beside her. “Come on, I said I won’t kick you,” she giggled nervously, trying to hide how excited and scared she was.

He walked stiffly towards the bed, and climbed in on the other side. He slipped underneath the blankets and sheets quickly. “Ah,” he said. “Your bed is really soft.”

She laughed a little. “Well, it has to be better than that miserable couch! And I have jersey sheets. They’re the best.”

They both settled down into the bed.

“Good night, Cliff,” she said.

“Good night, Claire,” he responded.

She didn’t think she’d ever be able to fall asleep. They lay in the semi darkness, both extremely nervous and excited. She couldn’t believe she actually had him in her bed! But she was afraid to try anything, because if he rejected her it would be terrible. Plus, that would make this cold night all that much more miserable.

She finally fell asleep, only to be woken up in a fright as a sharp, eerie wind blew loudly past the window. She cried out in terror, coming halfway upright, then laid back down, shaking and whimpering. It woke Cliff up and he reached out to her. His warm, slightly rough hand stroked her forearm soothingly.

“Shhhh…It’s all right, Claire,” he whispered.

She laughed a little and gasped. “I’m sorry,” she whispered back. “Noises in the night always scare me.”

“It’s okay. I’m right here,” he replied.

Her heart leapt! How good it felt to hear him say that! Claire sighed contentedly, and as if her body was acting of its own volition, she rolled forward and snuggled up to him. She heard his sudden intake of breath and his body stiffened, then it relaxed and he wrapped his other arm around her.

They lay like that, and she just listened to his heartbeat and his breathing. He moved his hand up and stroked her hair, and she couldn’t stop a little moan from escaping her lips. She could feel his heart start to beat faster. She tilted her head up at him, and she could just barely see his eyes glittering in the firelight. He bowed his head down , and her heart started fluttering. She could feel his warm, sweet breath on her cheek, and she turned towards him. Their lips met, and it was more wonderful than she had hoped it would be. His lips were warm and soft. They kissed gently at first, soft presses back and forth. Then she could feel his lips parting, and she parted hers too. His tongue very gently crossed her lips, and then he explored her mouth. He tasted so very sweet, like oranges.

As they kissed, Cliff’s hands stroked Claire’s hair. Claire reached out and ran her fingers through his long, silky ponytail. Cliff pulled away from her mouth slightly and kissed down her jaw line to her neck. Claire moaned and arched her back with pleasure as he breathed roughly in her ear, and then left a trail of kisses down her neck. He kissed the curve of her shoulder, his hands now at her waist, sliding her shirt up over her stomach. Claire gasped as she felt his hands on her bare skin. He gently cupped one of her breasts in his hand and kneaded it slowly, as he continued to kiss her neck and shoulder. Claire just moaned and squirmed in ecstasy. Cliff then slid his hand down her side, over the curves of her waist and hips.

His hands slid over her thighs. She sighed heavily as his lips brushed her ear. Her fingers ran through his long hair. It felt like her heart was beating between her legs. She wanted more than anything for him to touch her. And as if she willed it, his left hand moved from the outside of her thigh to the inside. She could feel his fingers shaking as he placed them between her legs. Claire moaned softly at the pleasurable sensation of his fingers against the soft fabric. He touched her softly at first, and she moved her hips towards him to show that she liked it. She heard the sharp intake of his breath, and he pressed more firmly. His lips met hers and they kissed as she moved her hips rhythmically against his hand. She reached her hand around and brought it to his stomach, then slid down to his boxers. She blushed as she felt the tip of his hardness straining against the thin material. She gasped. He moaned and pressed his hand even more firmly into her, then quickly brought his hand up to the waistband of her pajama pants and slid his whole hand down the front, so that now his fingers were actually making contact with her skin. Claire was already soaking wet, and Cliff sighed in pleasure at feeling this. He traced his fingers in the wetness, then carefully slid one finger in. Claire cried out in pleasure, and Cliff caught her mouth again in a passionate kiss.

She reached under the waistband of his boxers and encircled her fingers around him. He groaned and breathed heavily on her neck. Then he slipped a second finger inside of her, thrusting in the same rhythm that she was stroking him with. She gripped him tighter. They moved together as he rolled on top of her. She found his mouth again with hers and they kissed passionately, fervently.

He brought his hand away from her, and she felt disappointed for a second until she realized he was removing her pajama pants. He slid them off carefully but quickly, capturing her panties at the same time. The cold winter air met her skin and she gasped, so he pulled the covers over his back, draping them and keeping the heat in. He held himself up with one arm, as he pulled his own pants off with the other, with her help. His hardness was suddenly free, she realized, when her hand brushed against it as she brought her hands back up. He groaned as she gripped him, stroking swiftly. His hand found her again and he traced his fingers between her legs, dancing in the silky wetness. She moaned and whimpered with desire as he slipped two fingers inside her, kissing down her chest at the same time, his warm mouth finding a nipple and suckling it gently. She cried out with pleasure, and gripped him even more tightly. She spread her thighs as wide as she could, and guided him inside of her.

He pushed in quite easily because she was so wet, and they both cried out in ecstasy at the initial rush of feeling. Breathing heavily, he began to thrust slowly at first, then with increasing speed. She pushed her hips up against him, tightening her muscles around him. He went all the way inside, then began to grind against her. She responded by grinding back, gripping him inside of her. She could feel the heat building up, and she pressed her hands on his lower back to put more pressure where she needed it. Her breath became jagged and she felt her whole body get hot and then cold as she exploded with pleasure, crying out his name over and over. Her passion brought him over the threshold as well, and he screamed out her name and climaxed, spilling inside of her.

They lay there, breathing heavily and holding each other, their heat radiating under the covers. He brought his lips to hers. “Oh, Claire, I love you,” he breathed. “I love you, too, Cliff” she whispered back. He pulled out of her and rolled over. She snuggled up to him, and they fell asleep holding each other.

Morning broke, birds chirping, and the sunlight streamed in the window. She woke up feeling absolutely amazing. She rolled over and reached out, but…Cliff wasn’t there. Did I dream all that, she wondered? Then she heard the soft padding of feet in the hallway and Cliff appeared. He smiled bashfully at her.