Hiking

The long grueling hike to the summit had, no doubt, taken a lot out of both of us. It was early autumn so at least the temperature was cool. Even so my girlfriend Joann and I were both huffing on legs of rubber.

"You're out of shape." I teased my girlfriend.

"I'M Out of shape?"

"You're huffing worse than I am."

Peering down the slope, we marveled at how tiny people and objects appeared.

Jo and I take pride in keeping fit, usually by running 5 miles a day on various routes through town. Hills are non existent or rise only a few feet.

This had been our first ever hike. Would it be our last hike?

We allowed ourselves a few minutes to rest then started the trek down the slope.

Jazz music passed the time during our long ride home in her Toyota. I voiced a thought after a few minutes on the road.

"Hiking is a lot more tiring than running."

"You got that right hon." Jo's words came with a nod.

I added that "we should do it again."

Jo's reply was a noncommittal "some other time."

I added, "we should do it naked, except for hiking boots."

Jo laughed.

Of course the suggestion was a joke.

A few more minutes passed in silence after my joke.

"Steph, just to be sure, do we hike both ways naked or just one way?"

"You don't have to hike sky-clad. If you prefer to keep your clothes on then, by all means, do so."

We had squeezed all the humor out of the joke. We continued on our way home.

Jo and I are just two girls who happen to be close friends. We're both single and have never been intimate with each other. Even the thought is repulsive.

On a deep subconscious level I find nudity to be alluring. Nobody yet knows that about me.

What prompts anyone to fess up? Don't ask.

The following Saturday evening I was visiting my friend Jane Halle Landis. I was to learn that sharing secrets with Jane is ill-advised.

We had been chit chatting for about an hour. By that time I was ready to leave.

The empty coffee cups with plates were still on her dining table as was the pot. A partially eaten chocolate cake remained in the center.

"I like going naked," she quipped.

You do?

She added, "why do you think it takes me so long to open the door."

"What ever floats your boat," I quipped.

Back in my apartment later that evening, it ocurred to me that going naked can be fun. That day on the wooded hilltop the suggestion was only a joke. Suddenly the suggestion became a desire.

Standing at the rear of my bed, I pulled off the green camo T-shirt dress letting it fall behind me. After a brief hesitation I unhooked the band and pushed the straps off my shoulders making The Ivory Dot T-shirt shaping underwire bra slip to my feet.

I pulled off my panties. I'm naked and it feels soooooo good. I'm going to eat an orange while I'm naked.

It wasn't a joke Joann. I really do want to hike naked to the top of that hill. I flipped a few switches lighting the bedroom and living room then went to the window. Who cares if anyone sees me naked?

Sunday morning saw me chatting with Jo on Face Time making plans to hike up the hill overlooking the rivers.

The weather was still hot so I chose to wear a Navy square neck tee, bluejeans and hiking shoes. Jo wore similar clothes.

After another grueling hike we stopped at the summit and peered down the slope.

I pulled off my teeshirt and dropped it.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

Having said that, I removed my bra.

"Steph I'm not a lesbian."

"I'm not expecting you to fool around with me."

I pulled off my jeans and panties then put my shoes back on my feet.

My body has long gentle curves, a big curve at the hips and generous breasts. Jo has a similar figure. We wear the same size jeans.

We sat on the stone wall and chatted. Jo soon grew accustomed to me being naked.

For a long time I had been sruggling with feelings for Jo. She's not a lesbian. Unable to tell myself that I'm gay, I had told myself that I'm bi.

After resting for some ten minutes we started the long trek down the slope. Near the base I stopped only to get dressed.

In the car I finally had to fess up to Joann.

"I have something very important to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I'm gay."

"Stephanie I knew that. It doesn't matter to me. We're still friends."

In the past the bar scene held no allure for me. I wanted a real relationship not one night then she's gone. The attitude had changed since coming out to Jo.

At 7 30 P M on a Friday night a blue Honda Lyft driven by a youthful black man let me off a short walk from Babes of Carytown.

Seeing so many women in a lesbian bar came as a surprise to me. Anyway, I ordered a gin and tonic and sipped while checking out the women.

They ranged in age from twenties to fiftly. Some wore mini dresses. Others wore jeans with low cut tops. A few wore boyish hair styles.

That's the one I want. The young woman standing just a few feet away sported a short blond hairdo calling to mind Ellen DeGeneres.

A tattoo adorned her upper arm. Another look would reveal it to be girls kissing.

My pickup line was not the best anyone ever used.

"Anyone ever tell you that you look like Ellen?"

"I get that but my name is Susan."

"I'm Stephanie."

"Nice to meet you Stephanie," she replied.

"Likewise."

"I love hiking. It's challenging but it suppliments running."

"I'm just a gym rat. They have tredmills and stationery bikes."


We chatted for a long time making observations and swapping anecdotes. I secretly hoped to get Susan out of her panties. She sensed that.

After several minutes she asked, "do you live in Richmond."

"Mechanicsville," I said.

The mental image of her lying on top of me squashing my boobs under hers made me ache to bring her home.

Is she a virgin?

I asked, "how old are you."

"I'm 46."

"I'm only 28."

"The age gap means nothing."

I asked, "were you ever married."

"Yes I was," she replied.

I asked, "are their children."

She replied, "a son 14 and a son 18."

"I've always been single."