Mountain Rescue

"Let me know when you are decent." I added rather disingenuously, trying to hide my semi-involuntary voyeurism.

"OK. I'm done!"

I turned round, and Sal was already looking a little warmer, with dry clothes against her skin.

The fire was soon burning strongly, and we pulled the two chairs close to get the maximum benefit. Wet socks were draped over the edge of the hearth and, along with our other wet clothes, were soon steaming gently in the heat. I flashed up the stove and we shared a big mug of hot soup, and then a coffee. Sal's face had regained some colour and I realised, for the first time, that we had probably made it through the crisis. We still had a five mile walk out of the valley down to the next village, but the rain had stopped and the wind was no longer battering as hard on the small bothy windows.

We pulled the chairs together and Sal huddled into me for warmth. I luxuriated in the unfamiliar feeling of a body against mine.

As we sat we chatted, about running, and then about life. I learned Sal was 41, and lived in the same village she had been born in, just over the other side of the hill, and where my holiday cottage was. She told me about her career as a journalist and her inability to have children and how that had been the cause of a failed long term relationship, and that she now spent her time doing freelance work from home, while also keeping an eye on her elderly mother, who lived a few doors away.

In the easy intimacy born of shared danger, I told her things that I would never have normally told anyone. Of the death of my wife, of my throwing myself at work and avoiding commitment and people, and my need for solitude. Of my running and hence my holiday in the mountains and the day's adventures.

Sal looked suddenly serious. "I don't know how to thank you. I don't know what I'd have done if you hadn't found me."

"Hey! We are both mountain runners. You'd have done the same for me!"

"Maybe. But look at how you were equipped and what an idiot I was being up there without any warm clothes or anything else."

As the adrenaline of the day ebbed, the enormity of what we had just been through dawned on Sal. She was right. If someone hadn't found her and helped her, then she'd have been stuck in the freezing rain and cold, without dry clothes or food. It could have been very serious. Sal suddenly jerked against me as a sob racked her body. Then another. I put my arm round her and pulled her into a reassuring hug. Tears ran down her face. Of fear. Of relief. Of what might have been. I held her tight and said soothing words.

"It's ok now."

"We are safe now."

"I've got you. It's all going to be fine."

The sobs subsided, and Sal was quiet, her head snuggled into the crook of my neck. We sat in silence, soaking up the warmth of the fire and each other. After a while she shifted her body away from me, and looked up into my face.

She smiled again and leaned forward and planted her lips on mine for a warm brief kiss.

"Thank you. My hero!"

I smiled back and gave her another hug.

"Come on. We aren't out of this yet!"

I stood up and started getting stuff together for the final leg of our day.

We pulled on warm damp socks and even wetter shoes. I checked the fire was out and stuffed everything back in my rucksack. Sal 's running shirt had more or less dried out and I looked away as she put it back on, with my fleece over the top. She pulled on the windshirt, I put my jacket back on, and we were ready.

A brief shaft of sunlight came through the cloud as we stepped out of the door and set off down the track. The cold wind was still blowing down the valley, but with dry clothes and no rain we were warm enough. The hills remained shrouded in thick fog, and would still be wet, windy and cold. No place to be with an injury.

It was slow progress, with Sal's ankle still swollen and painful. But we were in no hurry now, and walked gently on, swapping running stories and tales from our lives, as if we'd known each other for years. Despite taking frequent breaks whenever a suitable place to sit presented itself, we made steady progress and found ourselves entering the village just as dusk was starting to fall.

In the main street we saw the welcome sight of the village pub, and were soon sat by the pub's roaring log fire ready for a well-earned drink and supper. We couldn't have asked for a warmer welcome, with all the legendary hospitality of the Scottish highlands. The staff made a real fuss of us once they had heard our story, offering us clean and warm clothes and bringing Sal a footstool and a rug. After a hearty meal and a couple of relaxing drinks, and a final whisky on the house, the landlord found us a local taxi that would take us round the hills to the other valley.

It was dark as the taxi approached my cottage. Sal turned to me, looking serious for the first time since we'd reached the pub.

"I truly owe you so much. Thank you." She pulled me towards her and pressed her lips to mine. I closed my eyes and luxuriated in the warmth of this wonderful woman who had bounced so surprisingly into my life. After an eternity, I pulled back, gave her hand a squeeze and opened the car door. I grabbed my pack, and climbed out. As the car pulled away I could see Sal's face smiling back at me.

I rummaged in my pack and found the cottage keys. Opening the door, I fumbled for the lights in the unfamiliar kitchen, stepped in, pushed off my shoes and dumped my bag on the floor. It had been a long day and there would be plenty of time the next day for tidying and sorting. The weather forecast was for rain all day, and I felt I deserved a rest.

I switched on the heating against the chill of the evening, and turning the thermostat up high, heard the gas boiler burst into life. Then I turned on the shower and walked into the bedroom, stripped off my clothes and wandered naked back to the bathroom. I stepped under the steaming shower and started to wash off the day's sweat, tasting the salt in the water cascading down my face. In my nakedness, my mind turned to Sal, and the glimpses I'd had of her body. Breasts, nipples. Strong calves and thighs. That gorgeous bum and the tantalising lips glimpsed as she bent over. I felt myself getting hard, and gently let my fingers run up and down my thickening cock.

"Not now." I said to myself, and focussed on washing my hair and getting clean. Out of the shower I dried myself off, pulled on the dressing gown hanging on the back of the bathroom door and went into the snug living room. Too late to light the fire, I switched on an electric heater, poured myself a large measure of 12 year old from the distillery down the glen and slumped into the armchair.

Feeling the efforts of the day in my bones and muscles, I smiled a satisfied smile.

I'd done good today. I had saved Sal from a lot of discomfort and maybe even saved her life. And I seemed to have made a good friend.

The warmth of the whisky and the heater and the self-satisfaction soaked into me, and the fatigue of a long day out slowly inched its way into my muscles and limbs. Bed time. I drained the last of the scotch and padded the few steps into the bedroom, slipped into bed and pulled the duvet over my body.

Lying in the dark of half sleep, images of Sal returned, and of the strong, slim, supple body I had felt through her clothes. In a dreamy vision we were back in the bothy but now it was warm and we were both naked. She was standing in front of me, leaning forward with her hands holding the old bothy table. I was running my fingers over her bum, stroking and feeling her smooth warm skin and toned muscles. She smiled over her shoulder at me, shifted her legs wider apart and leaned forward some more, showing me those tantalising lips. I slid my hand between her legs, feeling her wetness as I slipped a finger into her. In my halfdream I was suddenly inside her, fucking her hard against the table, feeling her warm grip around me. In reality I was lying on my back in bed, gripping myself hard, my hand jerking up and down. Dream and reality merged as the motions got faster and faster and I felt myself reaching the edge. A moment of stillness as I let my body take over. I came. Hard. Bucking on the bed and into Sal. Pulsing and squirting into her and onto my stomach.

Quiet. Collapse.

And the oblivion of sleep.

....

Rain was beating against the window as I slowly drifted awake. The intensity of last night's vision and orgasm was still clear in my mind, and I lay still for a while reliving the imagined experience, while also knowing it would never become reality.

"Too long without sex!" I mused to myself with a smile as I threw back the duvet and climbed out of bed.

Despite the rain and wind, the heating was doing its job and the solid stone cottage was warm and cozy. I padded naked to the kitchen and started making coffee and began to wonder what to do for the day. I'd already planned a day off running, and the morning's weather had confirmed that plan. A quiet morning, I decided. Drink coffee, have breakfast, read a book. Maybe wander out for lunch in the village pub later.

I thought of seeing Sal again, but immediately realised I didn't know how to contact her. I hadn't got her number and my phone had no signal there anyway. The possibility that I'd never see her again suddenly filled me with worry and gloom. In a short time we had got so close, and even if we never got to do the things I'd dreamed of the night before, it would be lovely to spend more time in her company. A run together was out of the question, but maybe a drink or lunch later in the week. If I could contact her. I guessed it wouldn't be hard to find her in this small village. But on the other hand, would she want that? She had her own life here, and I was just an aging runner, passing through. I'd helped her in her time of need, but I'd have hated to impose some sort of enforced expectations of payback or gratitude.

I sat with my coffee in the warm kitchen, dressed in the cottage dressing gown, enjoying the cosiness that the sound of rain brought, blocking other sounds and cocooning me in my own world. Peace. Just what I'd been looking for.

After a while I grilled some bacon and folded it between thick slices of local bread from the village shop. I took my sandwich and fresh coffee to the snug sitting room, lit the fire and grabbed a book to read. Soon the logs were crackling away and I dropped myself into the deep armchair. I read for a bit and then, still feeling tired after the previous day's efforts, I allowed myself the guilty indulgence of drifting off to sleep, something I never had time for in the normal world.

...

My snooze was rudely interrupted by a knocking on the door. Shaking myself awake, I gathered my dressing gown around me and tightened the belt. Hardly the outfit for greeting visitors, but Hey! I was on holiday!

Pulling open the back door, there was Sal, standing in a big walking jacket and wellies, and carrying a large wicker basket. I beamed.

"Hey! Lovely to see you. Come in out of the rain. How's the ankle?" I gabbled, suddenly feeling like a nervous teenager.

Sal stepped over the threshold, placed the basket on the table and slipped off her jacket and boots. Underneath she was wearing a long loose fitting dress, which seemed a bit too insubstantial for this cool wet day. She held out her right foot and graceful calf, showing a neat new white bandage.

"It's still a bit tender, but it's going to be fine, thanks to you." she smiled. "My niece is a nurse and she gave it the once over and rebandaged it this morning. Give it a couple of weeks of rest and it'll be right as rain."

The basket was full of local goodies. Bread and cakes from the village bakery. Shortbread. A haggis. Some smoked salmon. Even another bottle of the local whisky.

"I had to thank you somehow for yesterday." she said, as she showed me the gifts. "I woke in the night wondering what would have happened if you hadn't rescued me." She shuddered. "It doesn't bear thinking about. I was so stupid yesterday and so lucky that you came along. I am for ever in your debt." She smiled and darted forward and pecked me on the cheek.

I grinned, unable to suppress my pleasure.

"I'm just glad I was there at the right time. It was quite an adventure! Coffee?"

"Yes please, if I'm not disturbing you."

"Of course not. It's so lovely to see you. I'm sorry about the dressing gown. I wasn't really expecting visitors."

Sal smiled a mysterious smile, but then looked away. I could sense a nervousness, a hesitancy, as if she had a decision to make.

We took the coffee into the sitting room, where the fire was roaring away, filling the room with cosy warmth. I sat down in the armchair, expecting Sal to take the sofa, but instead she stood just awkwardly in front of me.

"What is it?" I asked. "Is something wrong."

"Um. No....." She looked down at the floor between us.

"OK." she said, more to herself than to me.

She briefly held her breath and then breathed in, as if she had come to a decision, and was about to make a prepared speech. She looked me in the eyes.

"I am very very grateful for everything you did yesterday. And I have brought you one more thank-you present." She paused for a moment, and then reached down to the hem of her dress and quickly lifted it over her head. She was completely naked underneath, apart from a neat bandage at her ankle. I stared, transfixed at the sight of her beautiful body. Pretty feet, toned calves and thighs, a patch of curly brown hair above and surrounding her clearly visible lips. Flat tummy and the beautiful breasts I had seen the day before. All now unashamedly exposed for my view.

When my eyes finally reached her face, she was smiling a nervous smile. I was lost for words for a moment, and she started to look worried, as if uncertain that she had done the right thing.

"You are beautiful!" was the first thing that emerged from my lips.

"But you don't have to do this."

Her smile returned. "I know I don't. But I want to. If truth be told, I have wanted to ever since you first touched my leg yesterday. Even in all that the pain and cold, your hands holding my leg and touching my skin sent a tingle through me. And I saw the way you looked at me when I took off my shirt and the look on your face when I bent down to take my tights off."

"Busted!" I thought to myself.

"I dreamed of you last night," she blushed slightly, "and the look on your face suggests that you had similar thoughts."

"As does that bulge in your dressing gown!" she grinned.

I was still powerless and lost in surprise and the awe of her nakedness and beautiful body as she stepped forward, put a hand on each arm of the chair and kissed me. I leaned my head back as her tongue found mine and we kissed, at first gently and then increasingly hungrily. I raised my hands to her breasts, cupped them and grazed my thumbs over her nipples. Sal let out a low moan from deep inside, and a hand reached for the belt of my dressing gown, pulling the knot open and sliding inside and wrapping her fingers around my increasingly hard penis. My turn to moan.

Pulling away from the kiss, she opened my dressing gown, knelt down and licked the whole length of me, from my balls to the sensitive tip, all the time staring into my eyes, gauging my reaction. Her lips opened and I felt the soft wet warmth as she slid me into her mouth, teasing and trailing her tongue around my shaft.

Slowly she withdrew and stood up. I started to speak, but she put a finger to my lips. Taking my hand, she pulled me to my feet and led me to the bedroom, my eyes fixed on the sensuous moving curves of her bum.

The bedroom was a mess. Yesterday's sweaty clothes still in a heap where I'd left them and the duvet rumpled and jumbled where I had left it when I got up. She didn't bat an eyelid, just swept the duvet to the floor, slipped the dressing gown off my shoulders and guided me backwards to sit on the bed. I reached for her, but she pushed me back until I was lying down

"No. This is my treat."

She lifted my legs so I was lying full length on the bed, and then climbed on top of me, her knees apart and across my thighs. She leaned forward to kiss me, and I felt her soft patch of hair rub tantalisingly across my hard penis. She kissed my shoulders and across my chest. Her hands roamed across my skin, stroking and feeling, as her mouth moved slowly down my body. Neck, nipples, ribs, a tongue in my tummy button.

Her legs shifted, and as she slid down my body and sat astride my left shin, her mouth and hands arrived at their goal, my hard cock.

"Mmmmm...."

Her hands stroked my legs, fingers inside my thighs, trailing across my balls, teasing the crease of my bum. I groaned as a hand slipped under my cock, and stroked gently up and down. Glancing down my body to where Sal was kneeling I took in her small breasts, hanging down as she leant forward. She was smiling and looking down hungrily at my body, and I watched as she lowered her lips to the hard cock cradled in her hand. My head went back as she kissed me, and I felt her tongue sliding along me and playing and teasing. She slipped me slowly into her mouth, her hand holding me, her tongue exploring, tasting, licking and playing with me. She pulled me deeper, her warm lips tight around me. She started slowly bobbing her head, sliding me in and out of her warm mouth, and simultaneously gripping and stroking me with her hand. I was in heaven.

"God, that's good." I panted, "I won't last long if you keep that up."

She raised her head long enough to look me in the eye and smile.

"Good!" she smiled, and went back to pleasuring me. Her movements quickened and the simultaneous feeling of warm lips, tongue and her stroking hand was overwhelming. Her permission granted, I relaxed and abandoned myself to the burgeoning feelings inside me..

I groaned and my hips started to buck in synchrony with her lips and hands.

"Mmmmmm" she hummed, without removing her mouth and it was all too much to resist. She sensed it too, and I felt her smile as she encouraged me over the edge.

I love that moment when I know I am going to come. My body spasmed, hips lifted off the bed, and I felt myself explode. She slipped me out of her mouth and held me tight and watched with a smile as pulse after pulse squirted onto my stomach and chest, even hitting my chin.

I slumped, and she slid her naked body up beside me, her warm breasts against my arm.

"Wow!" was all I could say. She grinned and snuggled her body close to me and kissed me on the cheek. No words, but I could feel her pleasure at having pleased me.

We lay quietly as I recovered, still stunned by the unexpected turn of events. One moment I was sitting quietly snoozing, and the next I was in a post orgasmic haze with a beautiful naked woman cuddled against me.

I raised myself on my elbow, and looked down at Sal's body. I touched her smiling lips and stroked her hair.

"That was amazing. And you are right, I had been thinking of you. Ever since yesterday I have been fantasizing about you and even dreaming about you."

My hand reached her shoulder and I gently pushed. She yielded without resistance and smiled again as she rolled back to lie flat on the bed. I paused for a moment and just looked at her, still hardly believing what I was seeing. My fingertips stroked the outside of her arm, gently, quietly, all the way down to her fingers, then caressed each digit individually, gently squeezed between my thumb and fingers. Turning her hand over I traced circles on her palm, prompting an almost inaudible moan and a featherlight shiver, and stroked on up the smooth skin of her forearm. Reaching the top of her arm my hand slid onto her shoulder and across the top of her chest, feeling her collarbone and the swelling of the top of her breasts. Shifting position, and kneeling up so I had two hands available, I repeated the stroking on the other arm, eliciting more quiet moans and shudders.