How I Met Your Mother

We talked and talked. Is wasn't until I felt my legs burning that I looked at the time. We had walked way longer than I thought possible.

The stream was more of a creek where we stopped. It wasn't going to be swimmable, but we would be able to replenish our water supplies.

It was snack time. A cold beer and a bacon cheeseburger would have hit the stop, but we settled for water and trail mix.

"Sweet. I love cashews." Ashley said as I popped the first 3 into my mouth. "Hey, no fair."

I held the bag out to her.

"Here, grab all you want." I eat 4 more.

"Oh my god. I want to slap you so bad."

"Dare you! Here, catch it." I lobbed one of the nuts in the air. It completely missed her mouth, but it did bounce off her nose before it hit her just above her eyelid.

"Nice. The broken wrists and hurt foot aren't enough? Now you want to break my nose and blind me." For someone in her state of pain, she had a great sense of humor and her smile melted my heart. "What?"

"Nothing. I just can't believe how incredibly tough you are. I would have probably laid down and died when I fell down the ridge."

"I highly doubt that."

Ashley had more then her share of the mix, including all the remaining cashews. What was different about feeding her this time baffled me. I had fed her fish with a fork. I had put the Advil in her mouth. But using my fingers to place the trail mix to her lips was very erotic. When her lips pulled a nut inward and we made eye contact, I was once again hard. It was immediate and without hesitation. Luckily, I still fully clothed.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

By 4:00pm we had hiked further than I ever had ever thought possible in one day. I was able to get cell reception and called 911.

10 minutes later, I got a call back from the Oconaluftee Ranger Station. Using my phone and my directions they were able to pinpoint our location. Help was on the way.

"What's the matter?" For the first time since she had found me almost 48 hours early, she was visibly upset.

"I never thought that I get out of here alive."

"Shhh." I hugged her without touching her arms

The rescue team had put Ashley into a crazy all-terrain basket and began the escape / rescue. When it was well into darkness we finally exited the trials. An ambulance was waiting to load her into safety. The doors closed, and she was gone.

I filled out some paperwork and answered questions. Lots of questions

No, I didn't know this girl. No, I do not believe that she was drunk or stoned when she fell. No, I would not be trying to hold the park responsible for any damages. Etc, etc, etc.

One of the Rangers was nice enough to give me ride to my Jeep. I have no idea why, but I put what remained of my backpack in the back. I laughed to myself. Like Ashley, almost everything that I'd started out with on this trip, was now somewhere deep in the park.

It seemed like hours later, when I parked at the Cherokee Indian Hospital.

Security looked me up and down when I tried to enter the emergency room. I definitely wasn't the first person that was asking about a mountain rescue, nor would I be the last.

"Name?"

"Oakes. Wyatt Oakes."

"Sorry pal, no one on the list with that name."

"Shit. That's my name. Ashley. Sorry, I'm so tired." If I had to bet, I would bet that the grey-haired security guard had at one time been a cop. He had both the look and the demeanor.

"Ashley...?"

"I. Well, I. She came in about two hours ago. Broken wrists. Wrapped in twigs and slices of my jeans. Tensor bandage on her ankle."

"Sorry son, I need a name."

"Kerber." My head spun as fast of the ex-cops did. Behind me was one of the rescue crew that had helped us off the mountain. "Her last name is Kerber. She's in surgery right now. They're putting a pin in her right wrist. Good job by the way of re-setting it. Left is only fractured. Only? I make it sound like that's a good thing. Anyway, her ankle will be fine with a bit of rest, but she'll need you to take care of her for a few weeks."

"Take care of her? He didn't even know her last name." The security guard was looking at us both like we were idiots.

"Neither did you. Look, Wyatt, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Are you okay? Do you want to see a doctor, maybe get yourself checked out? That's a lot of strain carrying someone that far. It could do some real damage."

"No, I fine."

"You might think you are, but really, you're not. Follow me."

The Ranger introduced me to a staff member. She promised to keep me informed as to how Ashley was doing, Then, she guided me to a shower room.

"Honey, you clean up in there. That way when your girlfriend comes out of surgery, you'll be ready to go see her. I'll see what I can fine for you to wear."

I had never considered my clothes. They were dirty and they smelled. But in the pocket was the 3 remaining Advil. Using a drinking fountain, I washed them down in a single gulp.

A hot shower never felt so good. The water pulsed off my back for 15 minutes before I even dreamt of moving. Using the fresh bar of soap, I scrubbed myself clean. And fuck my luck, I had to pull a tick off of my thigh.

The nurse that had given me the soap and towels had found me a clean California Republic t-shirt and a well-worn pair of jeans. The shirt fit perfect, and the jeans were just a bit snug, but they were clean. I wasn't about to ask where they can from, because it was something that I was sure I didn't want an answer to.

I found the darkest corner of the waiting room and settled in for the log haul. The chair was big and comfortable, which turned out to be a lot better than I could have hoped for.

"Honey. Honey." I awoke to someone shaking my shoulder. The friendly faced nurse was speaking to me. I was amazed that somehow daylight had suddenly snuck into the waiting room. "Honey, your girlfriend is awake. Follow me and I'll take you to her before I head home."

Shaking out the cobwebs I followed her down the hall.

Ashley's eyes widened when we walked into her room. Her leg was propped up and both of her plastered arms were on a pillow, resting on her belly.

"My savior."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"You're too humble." Humble? Yeah, I could feel the nurse's eye on me as a blushed at Ashley's words.

"Are you comfortable enough? How do you feel?"

"This bed is almost as comfortable as your hammock, and surprisingly, these kind people have stronger pain killers than Advil."

I have no idea why, but I rubbed the backs of my fingers over her unscraped left cheek.

"I'm so happy that you're safe."

"Thanks for staying." She was trying not to cry.

"Wouldn't have missed it. Plus, they gave me a new wardrobe." I moved my hands to present my new rags.

"Veeery niiiicce." Half yawn, half words. I pulled a chair to the edge of her bed.

"Sleep. You're safe. I'll stay with you."

"I know you will."

It was the same doctor who had called in the surgeon, that came to tell us what we needed to do. He gave us a small envelope containing 4 painkillers. 1 every 12 hours. No more. Keep the foot elevated and try to avoid putting any weight on it for a week. The cast on her left arm can come of in 4 weeks. It would have to have it re-x-rayed, but it should be fine. The right one is a different story. A doctor will probably want to have a look at it in 3 weeks or so to see how it is healing, but the cast would more than likely be on for the full 6 to 8 weeks.

"So, there's not really much more we can do for you here. These are prescriptions for antibiotics for your wounds, a cream for the rash and more painkillers if needed. The nurse will give you a shot before you go. It will help calm you for the ride home. Stay safe."

"But I don't know how I'm..."

"Thank you, Doctor Shaw. I'll get her home safe."

The wheelchair to my Jeep was mandatory. Not that either of us would have argued that she wanted to walk on her own. I loaded her up and strapped her into the passenger seat. I turned the key and started the vehicle. Looked to me like I was about to have a new roommate.

"So, where do you live?"

"Gastonia." Her answer wasn't much more than a whisper.

"Is there anything that you need there, or can we just go straight to my place?"

"What?"

"I mean, it's not like you are going to be going out anywhere in the near future, so do you need anything special, or can we just pick up what you need at Walmart. Maybe in a week or two we can go to your place and grab what you need."

"Wyatt...I can't expect you to..."

"To what? I told you before. Nothing in life is free. Now you're gonna owe me at least a couple of meals and lots 'n' lots of beers."

"Still...it's too much to ask of anyone."

"Simple enough. Can you do it yourself?"

"No."

"Do you have anyone nearby that can help you for the next few weeks?" Tears trickled down her cheeks.

"No." It was once again barely audible.

"Then it is settled. Lake Hickory it is."

The CVS was the closest pharmacy to my apartment, but I killed two birds with one stop. The good ole 24-hour Walmart Supercenter took care of all our needs. The 30 minutes until Ashley's prescriptions would be filled gave us more than enough time to gather all the other items that we needed.

The simple mental checklist wasn't nearly as simple as I had hoped. Yes, to food and drink. Yes, to clothes. Basic things that were easy on, easy off. The non-simple things were the feminine hygiene products. Of course, I knew what they were, but until I had to pick up the packages as Ashley called them out by name, I had no idea what they did. Different shapes, sizes and usages. Fuck my life.

My place lacked any features that would give it any hint of a woman's touch. Big Stereo, big leather furniture, bicycle in the living room and not much clutter. But, Ashley wasn't about to look down on her new surroundings.

"Your apartment is really nice. You keep it very clean, for a guy. How long have you been here?"

"Thanks, I guess. About a year." I took her over so that she could sit in my leather Lazy Boy chair. Putting a pillow on the ottoman, I picked up her leg and gently placed her foot upon it. "You can relax here for a bit, while I go empty the Jeep."

It only took 2 trips, but each time I came back, Ashley looked a bit more down in the dumps. She was crying. Not hard, but still crying. Sitting on the edge of the ottoman, I lifted her chin with 2 fingers.

"I know that this has to suck for you, but it will all work out. Watch and see." She gave me a halfhearted smile. "So, besides work, who do you have to call. I'll write down my e-mail address and phone number. You can give it to whoever, so that if they need to contact you, they have the information."

I put my phone on speaker for her, and she made 2 calls. The first was to work. A long message, with instructions on how to contact her. I gave her privacy when she made the second to her mother. Apparently, a free spirit, not hippie, that lived in at a trailer park with other like-minded people that lived off the land in Arizona. After the family call, Ashley was visibly shaken.

"I know that your meds caution you against alcohol, but would you be interested in a beer or some wine?"

Her smile returned, but she shook her head no. Trying to set her up as much as possible, we programmed Alexa so that Ashley could give voice commands for music playlists and TV channels alike. Entertainment was taken care of. Too bad I couldn't program Alexa to do some of the dirty work.

"Wyatt, can I lay on the couch? The drugs are making me so tired."

"Yes, and no. You don't have to ask. Just do whatever makes you happy, but I think that you will be more comfortable in bed."

There was never a question about where I would sleep. We had seen each other naked and the things that I had to do for her sent all modesty packing. The king-sized bed gave us more than enough room. The left side became hers, simply because it was closer to the door and easier for her to get up.

Tucking her in, I lowered the lights and told her to yell when she needed me.

"Wyatt...thank you for taking care of me."

"It's honestly nothing."

"You can say that all you want, but it is. You seem to care more about me than my own family, and you don't even know me."

Week #1 went by pretty smoothly. The apartment looked like a science project gone crazy. Wild curling straws that were so long they reached from the table to near her mouth. And Ashley swearing at Alexa, made her sound like she had Tourette's. The only thing that was weird was wiping her butt and helping her to soak in the tub. Week #2 threw an unexpected (only to me) curve ball. At times, it was hard to tell who was more embarrassed. I have known all about the female cycle since grade school, but never in my life did I think that I would be the one changing pads and tampons. Fuck, if this didn't push me over the edge and make me run, nothing would.

On that weekend, we made the trek to Ashley's apartment and gathered up some of the things that she would need until she was able to return home. Her trusty robe was a must have. We really didn't need anything else, but I thought that getting her out of the apartment would do her some good.

Ashley would spend all day sitting out on the patio or listening to music. At times she would sit in a chair beside me, watching me work. Something mocking me when I was on a call. Only at night would she watch television or lay in the bed.

Things were going well, and by the end of the second week, Ashley was walking fairly well. No telltale signs of limping. Her wrists were still not usable and were quite sore, but she had stopped taking the painkillers. We walked the trails by my house for exercise, and she was able to carry her Yeti around the house by pressing her casts together with enough force that she could lift it up.

On the third weekend, we picked up one of Asley's friends and drove out to the park to retrieve her truck. The entire trip there her and her friend talked about the accident, but I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when they were alone in Ashley's vehicle. I could see them talking non-stop in mirror, the whole trip back. When it was safely parked, back at her apartment, she went inside to pick-up a few more things that she couldn't live without. Things went great until Sunday night.

"Not that I could possibly embarrass either of us anymore then I have already, but can I ask for another favor that isn't already on the menu."

"Nope. I will not call your mother for you."

"Nice try, but it's way easier than that."

"Try me."

"Can you shave my legs for me?"

"For you? Hell, I'll do it for the sheets. You're so hairy, you're making a hole in the bedding."

"Not funny."

"Maybe a little bit?"

"Not even."

She was smiling. There was never a problem with joking. We had fun tormenting each other.

"Plus..." I knew what was coming. I did the wiping. Either she was going to let the hair grow back or she wanted me to shave her, there. "Could you maybe sugar me?" How wrong I was.

"Nope. No sugar. You're sweet enough as it is."

"Wow. Corny, much? I'm not kidding. It's starting to itch."

"How 'bout I just scratch it for you, or when it gets long enough, I'll brush it like I brush your hair. Maybe I ban braid it." She wasn't amused and shook her head to let me know.

"No, I think sugaring is the way to go. Aren't you worried about getting brush burned from all the stubble?"

"Naw, it's a hazard of the job. That's why I get paid so well. Don't worry, I'll be careful."

"You've been doing that all along? Seriously, I bought the stuff at Walmart. Actually, you bought the stuff. I just haven't paid you back for it."

"Forgive me for asking, but why don't I just shave it? I'm pretty good with a razor."

"Thanks, but no. The sugar method makes it way smoother and it lasts longer than shaving. You'll see."

"Yes, I guess I will."

Sitting in the bathtub with her was the easiest way to shave her legs. We sat facing one another, and I placed her ankle on my shoulder so that I could drag the razor over her skin.

The scrapes and bruises had all but disappeared, and removing the unwanted hair made her legs that much more normal.

When I had dried her off and put lotion on her legs, I realized exactly how much work went into being a woman.

Dressed in only her robe, there was a certain kind of shyness that had fallen over Ashley. She watched my every move as I heated the sugar. We had picked the ottoman as the best place to perform the hair removal ritual.

It was hard not to notice the anxiety in both of us. Ashley's repeated lifts of the wine filled Yeti to her lips, and my visible shaking.

Wiping her private parts after doing what every human being does was normal. Well not normal for me to being doing for her, but a normal function. It had to be done and there was nothing sexual about it. But shaving her legs and sugaring her pussy, screamed sexual tension. It was by far the most erotic thing that I could imagine doing, without actually having sex.

Ashley was trying her best to play it off as something that happened every day, but when she sat on the towel covered ottoman and spread her legs to give me access, I could she her glistening wetness. Maybe the wine was loosening her inhibitions.

"So, how do I start?"

"Use that wooden stick and spread some of the hot stuff on me." She watched me pull the stick out of the hot jar. "Not that much. You'll pull more then hair out and you'll be stuck with my forever."

"Stuck? You keep asking me to do shit like this, and I may never let you go."

I spread the warm mixture on the outside of her lip and the crevasse of her leg. My fingers brushed her lips as I pressed the strip of cotton over the goo, and without warning, pulled.

"Fuuuuuck."

This "fuck" was not the same as the one when I had re-set her wrist. There was way more pleasure in this one.

The video that I had watched on pussy sugaring 101 looked a lot easier than it was. The lady on screen did it in 7, maybe 8 pulls, I was on my 12'th. Every inch of her pussy looked clean and hairless. I ran the back of my hand over my completed job.

"Yep, very smooth."

"Perfect. Help me flip over."

"Why?'

"You're going to do my bum, aren't you?"

"Well, no. I...I hadn't...is that really a thing?"

"Yes. Don't be silly. Hair grows there too."

The gooey concoction needed to be reheated. When I returned, Ashley was still leaning over the leather ottoman. Her robe was covering her when I sat on the floor behind her.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

I lifted her robe to expose her to me.

Even when applying her cream, or putting in a tampon, I had never had this kind of view. It was usually a feel around and avoid eye contact, but there I was with everything she owned staring me in the face. I took way too much time staring at her.

"Well?"

"It's beautiful."

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm starting right now."

The wooden stick put the goo on her, but I used the tips of my fingers to move it around, and Ashley knew the difference. I could feel her ass pushing back against me. When I pulled the strip of cotton fabric, I could swear that I heard her moan. 5 more strips and the job was completed. I didn't want it to be, but it was.

Putting on the lotion that Ashley had explained would help keep the area from infection for the next 24 hours, I leaned and kissed both cheeks of her butt, then helped her up and into a sitting position.

"Can I get you anything else?"

"Yeah, how about a cigarette."

"I didn't know that you smoked."

"Only after sex."

Four days after the initial shaving of the legs, Ashley requested that I do it again. We went back and forth in a mock argument that clearly had no winner.

"Oh, come on. You're telling me that you hate soaking in that tub and shaving me? If it's so bad, why do you have such a big tub? And why do you keep getting a boner?"