Author’s note: this story will be posted in three chapters. It begins rather slowly so don’t expect a lot of hot action in the first few pages. I hope that it will be worth your investment of time.
A Blizzard Thaws A Heart
Chapter 1
“Good thing I filled the wood box,” I thought to myself as I stood to my feet to place a couple more logs in the stove. I looked out the window at the steadily falling snow and was glad that I hadn’t gone to the ski area with my nephew. I’d much rather be snug inside rather than driving the 50 miles each way on slick roads. I attributed his enthusiasm for skiing to his youth. Ryan is only in his early 20’s. I suspected that he really wasn’t that crazy about the skiing itself but was lured out in the bad weather to watch all the girls that frequented the slopes. Ryan is my sister’s son and had never had a serious relationship with a girl so far as I knew. He always seemed somewhat nerdy to me with his black rimmed glasses and rather odd sense of humor. He is a pleasant young man but very different from me in his tastes and lifestyle. He had just graduated from college last spring after having studied in the computer field. I’ve got to give him credit, however, he landed a good job with a successful company right away. When he arrived here yesterday he seemed taken aback when he found out that I didn’t have internet, cell service, or even (gasp) television at the cabin! Now, don’t get the wrong impression, I have nothing against technology but I just needed some time to get my head together without distractions.
You see, my wife of 32 years was killed in a traffic accident 4 months prior to my story. No, it wasn’t a perfect marriage but we had met in high school, gotten married at 20 years of age, and practically grown up together. Suddenly, one day, I found myself in my 50’s with two grown children that lived several states away and with a huge hole in my life that had been occupied by a life partner. The course of my life had been totally changed. We had purchased significant life insurance policies, which gave me many financial options, but having those options also gave me all the more to think about.
My wife and I had spent most of our years in a modest 3 bedroom house in the western portion of Denver. After her death I needed to get away. My boss of 25 years let me take a one year leave of absence. I packed my things and took off to a cabin that belonged to my parents in the high Colorado Rockies, west of Denver. I had to return to the city a couple of days each month to empty the mailbox, pay bills, and check on things but, other than a few days during the recent Christmas holiday, I was spending my time in the mountains that I loved.
On this particular day I was sitting in the living room, near the wood stove, enjoying the view from a picture window that looked out the rear of the cabin into the adjacent forest. The living room was open to the dining area and kitchen. The cabin had a high peaked roof with a loft bedroom that was placed above a second bedroom on the ground floor. There was a small bath on the lower level. The loft bedroom had two double beds. The lower bedroom had a queen bed and the living room had a sofa that made out into a bed. Over the years my parents, my siblings, and our respective families had spent time here during holidays and on weekends. Even though the cabin was small, it had provision for a good number of people to sleep and had been an appreciated escape from city life. I was shaken free from my thoughts by the sound of a car approaching. A glance at the clock on the wall said it was four in the afternoon. “Hmmm. I didn’t expect Ryan to be back this soon,” I thought to myself. “Maybe he wanted to get back before the roads became too bad.”
There was a knock on the door. “It must not be Ryan. He wouldn’t knock.” I seldom had visitors as the cabin is off the highway about a mile and at the end of a dirt road. I was surprised to see two women on the small deck in front of the cabin. My eyes quickly darted from the one that had knocked, a stocky brown haired, middle aged woman of about my size with a wide smile on her face, to a younger and smaller woman with her coat’s hood pulled over an abundance of black hair. Her eyes squinted against the cold and snow.
“Hello, ladies. May I help you?” I thought they must be lost.
The stocky lady spoke, “Hello. Mark Hill?”
“Yes. I’m Mark. What can I do for you?” I couldn’t imagine why two women would be looking for me and especially on such a snowy day.
“Mr. Hill, I am Donna and this is Maria. We are from the Consolidated Insurance Company and would like to speak to you for a few minutes if we may.” Consolidated was the company that had held the policy on my wife.
I invited them inside, took their coats, and offered to make coffee or tea. Donna was not nearly as “wide” with her winter coat removed. Still solidly built, she had large breasts and full hips that made a very attractive impression enhanced by her tan sweater and isveçbahis slacks. Maria appeared to be of Spanish decent and was petite. She was wearing a red blouse and long grey skirt. Neither was dressed for the deep snow that was steadily accumulating.
The ladies had come from the insurance company’s home office in Kansas City. I had informed the company of my wife’s death but had not made a decision as to the best way to receive the funds. Their purpose in seeing me was to show me the options available for distributing the proceeds from the policy. They naturally wanted me to leave the money under the management of Consolidated. It was clear that Donna was the one in charge and she did most of the talking. I found out later that Maria was along for training purposes. I was impressed with them as they clearly and concisely presented the pros and cons of a number of options. I realized that I was enjoying having feminine company. Donna had hazel eyes that I found very pretty. I caught myself watching her lips and thinking about what it would be like to kiss them. The time passed unnoticed until I heard another vehicle approaching. I noticed that it was 6:30 as Ryan came through the door and shook off the snow from his hat and coat. “It’s horrible out there!” he said, stomping his feet. I introduced our guests to him as he recounted how he barely was able to make it down to the cabin from the highway in my four wheel drive truck. Not only was it still snowing but the wind was starting to blow.
I invited Donna and Maria to stay for dinner but, based on Ryan’s report, they knew they needed to leave as soon as possible in order to get to the highway. They had wisely rented a Ford Explorer for their mountain excursion. It would be fine once they made it to the paved road but it lacked the clearance to go through deep snow.
“I’m sorry you can’t stay but I fully understand,” I said as I got their coats. I told them that I would consider their proposals and call the company with my decision the next time I got to Denver. I went out and started their car and cleared their windows while they bundled up. Back inside, I told them to be sure to use their four wheel drive and stay in the tracks that Ryan had recently made. I offered to follow them to the highway but Donna would have no part of it. I stood at the front door and watched as they turned the Explorer around. I made a mental note that I would drive to the highway after dinner to be sure they made it safely. As their tail lights disappeared into the night I turned and asked Ryan how his day of skiing had gone.
We visited as I peeled potatoes to make hash browns and burgers for supper. My thoughts kept returning to Donna’s attractive face, swinging hips, and ample busom. Then I would think of Maria’s black hair, dark eyes, and attractive figure. “Mark” I lectured myself “you need to snap out of it and get busy with living.” I felt like a weight had been lifted. The food tasted better. Ryan’s talk about how I should get a satellite dish was making sense. I knew in my heart that my time of grieving was over.
I finished my burger. Ryan finished two. He offered to dry if I’d wash and we were just finishing with the skillet when we heard a soft knock at the door. “Oh, no!” we said in unison as we looked at each other. I rushed to the door to find poor Donna nearly frozen with snow stuck to her face and coat. The wind was blowing strongly and the snow seemed to be moving horizontally. I hadn’t realized how intense the wind had become.
“We got stuck,” she said shivering. I felt guilty that I hadn’t checked on them before now. “I’m so sorry. I should have followed you to the highway.”
“Ryan, grab a blanket out of the closet,” I barked. He quickly responded. I led Donna to the chair near the fire and helped her sit. “Let’s get these off” I said as I started crumbling the snow from the laces on her light shoes. I unzipped her coat and helped her remove it as Ryan brought a heavy quilt that my grandmother had made long ago. “Is Maria still in the car,” I asked.
“Yes. Her clothes are even lighter than mine.”
Ryan asked, “How far did you make it before you got stuck”?
“I don’t know for sure but I think almost to the highway. We slid sideways and I couldn’t move forward or backward.”
Donna could see another surge of guilt sweep over me.
“It’s not your fault. I’m not used to driving in weather like this.” The snow was starting to melt from Donna’s hair and clothes. The left side of her face was red and wind burned. I realized that she could have easily suffered frostbite if she had been out in the cold wind much longer.
“Let me check your fingers and toes for frostbite,” I said with concern. I checked both cold hands. I removed her socks and looked at all ten toes that were like little ice cubes. I then thought of her ears and looked at them. “Looks like you’ve lost an ear ring but I don’t think anything is frozen.”
“I’ll be ok, let’s go get Maria,” she said as she started to isveçbahis giriş rise.
“No!” Ryan and I said together. “You’re not going anywhere. We’ll go get her while you warm up. Let’s see… what do we need to take?” I went to the closet and got another blanket and a flash light. I went to my room and got a stocking cap, coat, gloves, boots, and a pair of insulated pants. I knew that my clothes would come closer to fitting Maria than Ryan’s would. While we are both of medium height, he is much broader and heavier.
Ryan was already getting his winter gear on as I made a pile near the door. “We’ll be back as soon as we can. Help yourself to anything you need,” I instructed Donna. As we walked out the door I noticed that it was 8:15. We carried the stuff out to my truck. The wind had become fierce and it was impossible to know if there was still new snow coming down or if it was simply a ground blizzard. The driveway had almost blown clear of snow but a few yards up the road we encountered a drift that reached up to the bumper. We could sometimes make good progress over areas that had almost blown clear of snow. Sometimes, in deeply drifted spots, we would have to back up and hit the drifts repeatedly to advance. Finally, in the distance, we could make out hazard lights flashing. Just then the snow got even deeper. We were hopelessly stuck! We tried and tried but couldn’t advance or retreat. We examined the situation with our flashlight and decided that it would take hours to dig out. We decided to walk.
Maria was reasonably warm in the rented Explorer. She would let the engine run for a bit and then shut it off until the temperature inside became too cold. On the downwind side, passenger side, the snow was up to window level. She was in the driver’s seat so Ryan and I slid into the back seat, our arms full of blanket and clothes.
“I’m so glad you’re here! Is Donna ok?”
“She’s cold but in a blanket in front of the woodstove thawing out,” Ryan responded.
“I’m so relieved! Thank you so much,” she said with a tremor in her voice.
“Okay, here’s the situation,” I said grimly, “the truck is badly stuck and we are going to have to walk. We brought warm clothes but they aren’t going to fit very well because they are mine.”
“It’s ok, I can do it,” she bravely said.
We gave her the clothes. She still had a bit of modesty and hesitated for a moment. Ryan and I glanced at each other and then looked out the side windows into the blackness. She kicked off her shoes and slipped the skirt over her hips. I caught a glimpse of light colored panties and wondered if Ryan had noticed.
“Everything will probably work but the boots are way too big. I’ll try it, though,” she said as we turned to look at her.
“I was afraid of that but we didn’t have any that were in a smaller size,” I said. I don’t wear particularly large shoes, size 9, but Maria is very slight and told me later that she wears a ladies size 6.
We took only the essentials from the Explorer, like the ladies’ purses and pocketbooks. We left everything else, locked the car, and started the miserable journey toward the cabin. It was slow going in most places. In the deep snow Maria’s feet would try to slip out of my boots. After a few hundred yards we realized that there had to be a better way. I heard Ryan say above the wind, “here, Maria, get on my back.” I was very impressed with the kid. He carried her for most of the way.
“Let me take a turn,” I said. I carried her until I was out of breath and needed to rest. Ryan carried her piggyback again until we could see the cabin’s yard light. He put her down from his back, took her in his arms, and carried her in front of his chest the rest of the way.
It was almost 10 o’clock when we came through the door. Donna’s sweater and slacks were on the floor beside my chair and she was wrapped in the quilt. She jumped to her feet, holding the quilt to her, and rushed to give Maria a big hug. “I’m so glad you’re safe!”
“Oh, you too,” Maria said
“And many thanks to you, Mark and Ryan,” Donna said as she stepped back from Maria.
We told them that we were just glad that everyone was safe. I apologized again for not having followed them out to the highway earlier. This could be a deadly storm. The fire was almost out so I put more wood on the fire and adjusted the damper. “Have you warmed up yet?” I asked Donna.
Almost but I still have a chill. I suggested a hot shower for the ladies while Ryan and I fixed something to eat. I said I would try to find some dry clothes. “I’ll be right in with yours” I said to Donna as she made her way to the bathroom. Maria was removing the snowy coat and boots. I found a gray sweatshirt, a big white t-shirt, and two pairs of sweatpants, one blue and one gray. I gave Maria the t-shirt and blue sweatpants and told her she could change in the bedroom. I handed her a blanket as well.
Then I crossed the short hallway to the bathroom, knocked once, and stepped in. I know, I isveçbahis yeni giriş should have waited to be invited in but I had told Donna I would be bringing her clothes. Anyway, she was standing, totally nude, toweling her hair as I came through the door. We both froze for a second before she covered her breasts and pussy with her hands and before I turned toward the wall and apologized. “I’m so sorry! I thought you were expecting me!”
“Oh, I’m sure it was my fault. I’m sorry to embarrass you,” she said. “You can turn around now.” She had taken a bath towel and put it around her body. I faced her with guilt all over my face. “Your cheeks are redder than mine,” she smiled.
“I don’t know what to say other than, ‘I’m sorry.'”
“Forget it,” she smiled and met my gaze.
I recovered a bit, “there’s no way I’ll ever forget a sight like that.”
“No doubt! You’ll be having nightmares for years.”
I smiled. “Dreams, perhaps, but NOT nightmares. They’ll be sweet dreams.”
“You’re very sweet, Mr. Hill.”
I bowed out of the bathroom without further adieu. Little Maria was now sitting by the fire with the blanket around her. Ryan had gone upstairs, where his suitcase and clothes were, to change. He came down in sweatpants and a t-shirt. He walked straight to the refrigerator and began fixing something for the ladies to eat. The burgers were sizzling when Donna came out of the bathroom with wet hair and the sweatshirt stretched tight across her impressive chest. She had nipples as big around as one of my fingers and they were prominently displayed through the shirt. She continued to towel her hair.
“Sorry I don’t have a hair dryer,” I apologized.
“No problem. I’m finally warm! It’s your turn, Maria,” Donna said. I noticed a damp spot in the sweatshirt between her shoulder blades.
“I’m ready” grinned Maria as she stood and handed Donna the blanket she’d been using. My shirt and pants were very baggy on her. “Nobody come bursting in, ok?” she smiled. I turned beet red realizing that she’d overheard the exchange between Donna and I earlier. Donna chuckled softly and Ryan looked confused. “Huh?”
“Never mind. You don’t need to know,” I said.
The food was ready when Maria came out with her hair in a white towel. My t-shirt was tucked into the sweatpants which were much too large and pulled high above her hips and cinched tightly with the drawstring. I thought I could make out dark nipples through the t-shirt but was trying not to get caught staring.
As they ate we discussed when we might be able to get them on the road. They had a motel reservation in Denver for the night and plane tickets for the next morning. I told them that I doubted that we’d be able to get them to Denver in the morning but it all depended on the storm. If it continued, it could easily be a matter of days.
“We can’t impose on you for more than tonight,” Donna said.
“That’s right,” Maria chimed in.
“I hope you stay as long as possible,” Ryan piped up. “Having a pair of beautiful ladies here makes this place interesting. Uncle Mark doesn’t even have tv!”
“What?” said Maria. “You’re kidding!”
“Nope!”
“Hey, I’ve got some videos and books. I might not have television but I’ve got things to keep me entertained,” I said defensively.
“Well, I think the place is very interesting no matter what,” Donna added with a smile sent in my direction.
The conversation was very pleasant as we ate. We found out that Donna had been divorced for three years and had one daughter that lived in Missouri. Maria told us that she was 30 years old and had never been married. She had had a few boyfriends over the years but never one that was serious.
Ryan informed them that he was 23 and had only had one serious girlfriend. It didn’t work out because she wanted to get married right away while Ryan wanted to wait until he finished school.
“Hey! Somebody is out of uniform,” Maria charged pointing at me.
“What’s wrong with this?” I asked even though I realized my insulated snow pants and flannel shirt didn’t fit in with the t-shirts and sweatpants that the others were wearing. Donna scowled in jest. “Yeah! Aren’t you roasting in those?”
I went into the bedroom and found a faded Colorado Buffaloes t-shirt. I slipped it in on and grabbed the last pair of well worn sweatpants from the drawer.
I walked out. “Better? Am I accepted into the group now?”
“Much better!” The girls said.
We visited some more about our adventures of the evening. When the conversation lagged the sound of the wind became even more apparent.
“Let me know when you two are ready for bed,” I said.
“I know I SHOULD be tired but I’m wired,” Maria said.
“Same for me,” Donna agreed. “By the way, what will the sleeping arrangements be?”
“Well, Ryan has been sleeping upstairs where there are two beds. I’ve been staying in the bedroom. This sofa makes out into a double bed. I suppose the logical thing would be to move Ryan down to the sofa and put you two up in the loft,” I said reasonably.
Maria and Donna looked at one another. “We’re not gonna kick Ryan out of his bed. The sofa will be just fine. We can share it,” Donna reported.