Threading the Needle Ch. 04

By the time Liz got there with Indigo, most of the trainees had their tents up. Rikki preferred to sleep in the back of her SUV and so was working on getting a fire going. The first log just started to catch as Liz walked up. Standing, Rikki gave her a hug.

"Thanks for forcing me into doing this, Elizabeth," Rikki said with a smile.

Liz held the hug for a few moments later and then gave Rikki a kiss on the cheek. "Glad you're having fun, Riiiiiikkkkkiiii!" Liz said, exaggerating her nickname for Marika. They both laughed as they released each other. Rikki went back to building the fire while Liz pitched her tent. She placed it on the far end of the group site. Liz liked a little more privacy.

Bear showed up a little while later. After dropping him off in town, he still needed to walk down to the put-in. Liz suspected he also stopped in at one or both of the rafter bars to check out the prospects. Seeing him here probably meant they were dead. "Pussy hound," Liz thought. It wasn't disparaging. She was one herself. She chuckled as she watched him carry his tent to the opposite side of the campsite. "Two sides of the same coin," she said aloud.

While they were camping together, everyone was on their own for dinner. Some of the guys just ate sandwiches or something else that was ready to eat. Most of the rest pulled out little gas grills and cooked some sort of meat and had it with something out of a can. Not surprisingly, Bohdi had a veggie burger and a quinoa salad.

An experienced car camper, Rikki made them jealous. She and Winnie had the dinner she brought from home. It was Mexican with some Adobo chicken she heated in a foil pouch over the fire, a black bean and corn salad, along with homemade salsa and guacamole. Sawyer and Jasper didn't expect to be as hungry as they were. After finishing what they had, they came begging and ended up sharing.

Liz walked by as Rikki was dishing some more up for Sawyer. "You're such a mom!" she said. Rikki froze and furiously blushed. It might be true, but it wasn't what she wanted to hear.

"No she isn't," Jasper said. "She's a babe! Mom's aren't that cute!" He held out his plate. "I'll take a little more too," he added.

"Flattery will get you fed, Jasper," Liz said with a laugh. She laughed harder when she saw Rikki spooning some more onto his plate.

Straightening up, Rikki looked coldly at her best friend. Grabbing a container of cookies, she opened them up. They were homemade chocolate chips, Liz's favorite. Rikki waved them at Liz. "No sugar for you!" Rikki told her as she snatched them back from Liz's outstretched hand. Everyone else laughed as she passed the cookies around the group. When she came to Bear, there were only three left.

"Take two, Bear. I seem to have miscounted how many I would need," Rikki told him. Making a big show of it, Bear grabbed one in each hand. He took a bite of each. "Mmmm," he sighed. "Your sugar is soooooo nice, Rikki," he said.

"You bet your sweet ass it is," Rikki said with a grin. She took the last one and ate it as she watched Liz's forlorn face. "By the way, this isn't even! I haven't forgotten this morning!" She sat down next to Winnie and licked the chocolate off her fingers.

Indigo looked over at Liz. She still had her cookie. Breaking it in two, she held one-half in each hand. With a smile, Liz came over to her and sat down. Indigo handed her half with a little smile. She was aware of Liz's body pressing against hers. A familiar sensation started between her legs, followed by an equally familiar feeling of butterflies in her stomach. Before now, getting together with Liz was just a possibility. It was starting to look more likely.

It was early enough in the season that relatively few campsites were occupied. There were several groups closer to the road. Bear occasionally looked over his shoulder at them. Finally, he got up. "I think I'll check things out." He looked over at Liz. "Care to come along?" he asked her. Picking up women was a sport they both enjoyed and they shared a bit of a rivalry.

Liz looked at him. The feeling of Indigo resting against her was pleasant. The memory of being together a couple of weeks ago was still fresh. Unlike some nights, she didn't feel restless. Liz put her hand on the inside of Indigo's knee and glanced at her. She felt an answer as Indigo pressed her knee against Liz's hand. Looking back again at Bear, Liz shook her head. "I'm feeling good. I think I'll stay," she told him.

With the slightest hint of amusement, Bear looked back and forth between them. That they slept together wasn't news to him. They didn't try to hide it, although it did make some conversations awkward on weekends when Alex was there. He wasn't sure it was good for Indigo, but it was not his place to say. He wasn't one to cast stones at relationships.

"All the more for me," Bear said with a smile before disappearing into the darkness.

Rikki added a couple more logs to the fire and they all sat back and let themselves get mesmerized by the flames. Bohdi got out his pipe and a Baggie and filled it. He passed it around. Most of them took a hit. When it came to Rikki, she looked at it. There was a time when she smoked a lot of pot, but it was a long time ago.

"Maybe I'll try it again at some point, but not now," she thought, before passing it on to Winnie. She passed it along too. Maybe if Rikki had done it, she would have too. Winnie tried it in college, but only a few times. Between Rikki being a co-worker and wanting not to disappoint Rikki as a friend, it was an easy decision.

Lena moved over and sat down on the other side of Rikki. Her eyes stared over and through the fire. Liz was laying back with Indigo resting against her, between Liz's legs. Her head rested between Liz's breasts, and Liz's arms were around her, holding Indigo's belly.

Like Lena, Winnie had a hard time not watching the two women. She was reminded of the previous week when Indigo was with her girlfriend. It was confusing. As she watched, Indigo looked up at Liz who slowly lowered her lips down and softly kissed Indigo. It didn't last long, but to Winnie it was almost as erotic as watching Alex fuck Indigo with her fingers in the bathroom. A sensual quality turned her on in different ways than last week.

"Doesn't Indigo have a girlfriend?" Lena asked a little bitterly. She wasn't loud. Only Winnie and Rikki could hear her. Most of the guys were either chatting, still smoking or talking with Julie. A couple of them saw what was going on and quietly watched.

"Yes," Rikki answered. "Liz doesn't care." After a moment, she added, "Clearly, neither does Indigo." She looked from Liz to Lena. It was clear that she wished she was in Indigo's place. Rikki noticed that Lena wasn't the only one watching. The slow kisses between Liz and Indigo transfixed Winnie as well.

"What about Alex? Does she care?" Lena said, breaking off her staring and looking at Rikki.

For a moment, Rikki hesitated. As Liz's best friend, she knew the background. It was not often that Liz talked about her relationships, romantic or not. The situation with Indigo and Alex was an exception. They talked back when it first developed, though Liz hadn't said much recently. Before guide training, Rikki's impression was that it cooled off. That was obviously wrong. She did not want to betray Liz's confidence in talking to her.

Still, Rikki looked at Lena. The way she was pining for Liz made Rikki feel sorry for her. "Alex and Indigo have an arrangement. When they are apart, it is okay for both of them to be with others." She looked back at Liz and Indigo. For now, they just sat with the firelight flickering over them. Indigo leaned back against Liz, obviously enjoying being there held by her. Her head rested against Liz's arm. Rikki could see why Lena was jealous. Anyone looking at them would think they were a couple.

Winnie grabbed another log and tossed it on the fire. The flames flared up, a plume of sparks rising up. The heat of the fire became more intense, and most people leaned back until it died back down. Liz looked though the flames at Rikki. Even with another woman in her arms, Rikki still drew her eye. "I didn't think about that, did I? The ache is worse now that I'm spending more time with her." she thought to herself. As the flames got lower, she looked away before Rikki noticed. "Well, rafting is good for her. That's what I wanted, isn't it?" Liz told herself. She focused on the feeling of Indigo against her. Enjoying the moment was what she did best. Her hand rested on Indigo's belly and she slowly began to move her fingers. She smiled as she heard Indigo make a little sigh.

While Rikki had seen Liz in action before, it surprised her how bold Liz was tonight. Liz's fingers moved up Indigo's belly and lightly caressed the underside of her breasts. Craning her head up, Indigo sought Liz's lips for another kiss. This time it wasn't a light little kiss. With her mouth open, Indigo clearly wanted a deep kiss. Liz was happy to give it to her.

A little stir of movement next to her diverted Rikki's attention. Lena shifted uncomfortably and tried to look away from the two women. Reaching out, Rikki put her arm around Lena and gave her a little hug. For a moment, Lena resisted; and then, with a little sigh, she put her head against Rikki's shoulder. Rikki hugged a little harder. "I'm sorry, sweetie," she said in a whisper.

"Thanks," Lena said. When she sniffed a moment later, Rikki realized that her new friend was close to crying.

"Hey, I'm a little warm from the fire. I think I'll take a little walk. Want to come along?" Rikki asked Lena.

Looking at Rikki, Lena thought for a moment. With someone else, it might be a come on. With as pretty as Rikki was, Lena was almost sorry that it wasn't. "Now that would really get my mind off Liz," she thought. Between knowing Rikki was married and seeing the sympathy on her face, Lena knew it was just a genuine offer to go talk from one friend to another. "Actually," she thought, "I could use that more right now." Slipping an arm of her own around Rikki's waist, Lena returned the hug. "Sure, that would be nice."

As they both stood up, Winnie finally looked away from Liz and Indigo. Rikki smiled at her. "The fire is a little warm and it is kind of a nice night so we thought we might walk around the campground."

Although unstated, Winnie knew she was welcome to come along. She looked over at Lena and instantly knew why they were going for a walk. Lena's head hung down and she studiously avoided looking over at Liz and Indigo. She looked back at the two women across the fire before glancing up at Rikki. "I'm pretty comfortable and a little tired. I think that I'll stay here and let you two talk," she told her. Winnie was glad that the glow from the fire covered up her blush. Giving Lena some privacy to cry in Rikki's shoulder was a convenient excuse. Her curiosity was too strong. The raw sexual energy between Indigo and Alex was the fuel for some very enjoyable orgasms playing with herself over the last week. Liz's slow sensual seduction of Indigo excited her in a different but equally powerful way. She wanted to watch it through to whatever finally happened in plain sight.

"Okay," Rikki said with a nod. If she had any idea of Winnie's thoughts, she gave no sign. "Come on. Let's go this way. That's where Bear headed," she told Lena.

They were silent as they started walking. Lena was lost in her own thoughts and Rikki gave her space. Although they were no longer touching, they were close enough that between the darkness and the bumpiness of the path they frequently bumped shoulders. As they followed the path, they heard the sounds of another camp getting louder. Unlike their own relatively quiet camp, this one was full of laughter and music playing. Rikki smiled when she heard Bear's deep laugh. He had a knack for finding the happening spots.

Coming around a corner, the trees thinned out and the moon came out from behind a cloud to light them up. Lena saw a rock big enough to serve as a place to sit. "Mind if we stop here? I'm not quite ready for a party camp," she asked.

"Sure," Rikki replied. "Whatever you want to do is fine."

Trying to get herself into a better mood, Lena forced a smile. "Whatever I want to do?" she said, trying to find a flirtatious tone.

It was a weak attempt and Rikki giggled. "Well, maybe not whatever you want to do, but staying here is fine."

"Okay, fair enough," Lena said. She sat down on the rock and a moment later, Rikki joined her.

They sat in silence for a little while. Once again, Lena put her head on Rikki's shoulder. Rikki thought about how Liz so easily attracted women and how it was obvious that Lena already was under her spell.

"So, umm, you and Liz haven't actually gone out?" Rikki asked.

"No," Lena replied. "We flirted a bit when I was actually on a date with another woman."

"God, that is so Liz. Lena, did you do guide training just because of Liz?" Rikki asked her new friend. She hoped not. In her years of knowing Liz, no one lasted with her. She left a trail of broken hearts. She didn't want Lena to be one of them, not that her feelings in this would matter. Rikki didn't quite understand Liz's magic but it was certainly strong!

"No, not only," Lena said as she looked at Rikki. The dim moonlight lit her face. It added to the elfin aspect she already had. Why Liz was interested was obvious, just not why she toyed with Lena. "I love the outdoors and this sounded fun. Plus we get paid for doing it, so I would have been interested even if Liz wasn't so...." Lena trailed off.

"So enticing," Rikki finished for her.

"Yeah," Lena said. She brushed back a few locks of hair that fell into her face. "She flirts really well, you know? I even thought about ditching my date. I mean I wouldn't do that, but it did cross my mind. Now she is basically just being a bitch, to me especially." She sighed. "I just wish I could at least get her to notice me for doing something good on the river. Instead, I keep screwing up. At this rate, I won't even get hired by Weston."

Rikki thought for a few moments. "I've known her for so long and I still can't figure out why she does things. You might ask her though. She is usually straightforward." Rikki patted Lena's hand. "As for guiding, are you thinking about trying to look good for her while you are doing it?"

The only response to Rikki's question was silence. It went on long enough that Rikki knew the answer. "Well Lena, don't. Ignore her. Pretend she isn't there and just watch the river and your raft. That's all that matters. Whatever happens with Liz will happen." She paused. "You know, I'm not an expert."

"Bullshit, you are the best trainee among us. I'm seriously jealous of you," Lena said, interrupting her. "Bitch," she jokingly added.

Rikki laughed. At the same time, she felt a little glow of pride. "Well, if I'm doing well it is because I've watched Liz for so long and she really is the best at what she does." She hesitated for a second. Giving hard feedback was something she did at work but was never something she enjoyed. It was even harder when she liked the person. "It seems to me when you guide, you don't plan ahead. You are so worried about the next move, you don't think about the next two."

"I know," Lena said. "The river just keeps moving and I'm always catching up."

"Try thinking of it like you drive. When I started driving, all I paid attention to was the car in front of me. So I was always caught when the car in front of it did something weird." Rikki smiled ruefully. "I rear ended someone for that reason. Now when I drive, I look ahead a couple of cars and pay attention to the cars on the side. I subconsciously plan my options, depending upon what they do. Do you see?"

Lena slowly nodded. "Maybe," she said.

"You need to look three moves down the river and then plan backwards how to get there. Don't wait. Make your move early and everything gets easier," Rikki said.

"I'll try," Lena said.

"Let's try to be in the same boat tomorrow and I'll remind you," Rikki told her.

Putting her arms around her older friend, Lena gave her a big hug. "Thanks, Rikki. That would really help!" She felt Rikki return the hug. For a moment, she was only aware of the sense of reassurance it gave. Slowly, Lena noticed how nice Rikki felt. Her breasts pressed against Lena's chest, and Lena felt her nipple begin to harden. "Fuck," she thought. "She is being a friend and I'm getting turned on," Lena thought as she quickly let go and disengaged.

If Rikki noticed Lena's reaction, she gave no sign. She just smiled at her in a friendly way. "No problem. I hope it helps," she said.

Standing up, Lena hunched her shoulders and stuck her hands in her jacket pockets. The fleece bunched up in front of her, hiding any evidence that might betray her. "Well, shall we go see how Bear is doing?" she asked.

"Sure, although I suspect we both know how that will be," Rikki said with a laugh. "Brother and sister from different mothers," she thought about Bear and Liz. If she was with Winnie, Rikki probably would have said it aloud. Saying it to Lena would be cruel. They started down the path again and soon came upon a couple of campsites that were clearly together. It was well lit, between the roaring fire and some lanterns.

"Rikki, Lena! Come over and meet some new friends," Bear bellowed. He had a young blonde woman leaning up against him with his arm around her. As he released her and lumbered over to hug Rikki and Lena, she looked at them suspiciously. Having finally wrested Bear's full attention from a couple of her campmates, she didn't want any new competitors.

Rikki laughed as Bear gave her a big hug and then turned to Lena. Bear clearly had a few more drinks since going wandering. She left him still hugging Lena and introduced herself around. She noticed a visible relaxation when the blonde saw her wedding ring. "What is it about Bear and Liz?" she wondered. "If I could bottle it, I'd be rich!" The woman was still giving Lena a bit of a glare as Bear walked back to the fire-pit with his arm around her.

"I wouldn't worry too much about her, Dawn," Rikki whispered in her ear. "You are more her type than Bear is." Rikki liked the way she blushed. She wondered whether it was from being caught in a little fit of jealousy over a man she just met, or the idea that Lena might find her interesting. She was pretty enough, that was for sure. In some ways, she actually reminded Rikki of Liz. She was more buxom and had straight blonde hair, but otherwise had the same high cheekbones and eyes that were close to Liz's blue ones.

As Bear got back, he let go of Lena and put his arms around Dawn. He gave her a much longer and tighter hug. Somewhere in the middle of it, they kissed. By the end of the kiss, it was a deep and passionate one. Rikki and Lena moved away and joined in the main group. Someone handed them each a beer and they soon felt completely welcome in the group. They were having enough fun that they didn't even notice when Bear and Dawn disappeared off in the direction of his tent.

Back in the rafting camp, the fire died down and most of the trainees were in their sleeping bags. Winnie was still up, though more fully hidden in the shadows now that the firelight died down. The other watchers were gone, either giving into their feelings of awkwardness or the need for a little relief. Winnie was vaguely aware that Julie was just outside the ring of firelight with one of the other trainees. She didn't really care. Liz and Indigo still had her attention.

Shielded by the semidarkness, Liz slipped her hand under Indigo's shirt. It wasn't easy but Winnie could see her fingers playing with Indigo's breast. For a moment, Winnie wondered if Indigo had on a bra. She didn't need to wonder for long. From the way Liz's fingers rolled back and forth, it was obvious she had Indigo's nipple in between them. Even if that wasn't so obvious, Indigo's face betrayed her. She sucked her lower lip into her mouth and bit down on it. Her back gradually arched as Liz teased her by sliding her finger along the hardened little nub. Winnie could see Indigo's chest rise and fall in an ever-deepening way.