Winter

A Story by Jason Joiner

First of a series of short stories based around a couple during the various seasons.

The fire popped and crackled in the hearth while she and I laid on a rug made of the softest, warmest fur. The day’s cares had long left us and we simply enjoyed the company of the other, the feel of her body against mine as we lay there felt reassuring that spring would come again one day, but for now the winter raged just outside the walls of our home. Her easy breathing comforting and calming like a lullaby pulling me deeper into sleep. The night hours while away as I lay beside my beloved until she wrests herself from sleep and sits up then stands and walks to the sink to pour herself a glass of water, her form as it moves is like God captured beauty and gave it form, her form, and I, one most fortunate to be hers. She walks back to the rug and lays down stomach first with her head on my chest, right on the spot above my heart and breathes deeply then says“I love listening to your heart. It’s so steady and strong, hearing it makes me feel… whole.”

I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head and she continues.“I love this too you know, your arms. They makes me feel safe.”

I reply with a smile and I kiss her again as she crawls up until we are level with each other and we kiss. Her lips are so soft and her body warm. Her skin like cream and electricity arcing through us as we lay there simply enjoying the company of the other while we wait for sleep to once again come. This time for me it comes fast and deep, and when I wake she is there and I feel like all is right with the world. I get up and get dressed and go out to do the day’s chores the whispers of night lingering in my skin and my memories as the cold bites through my many layers of clothes and my thoughts turn always to returning to the fireside and to her.