Those Cool Steamy Nights

She remembered. She remembered all too well. It was supposed to be the first snow. However the glittery white blanket had forsaken that day, leaving the landscape naked and exposed. Standing on the porch she thought of how bleek and lifeless everything looked. A breeze whistled through the leafless trees as she gazed down the long gravel drive. Her stare was blank, as her mind tried to latch on to a memory of him. He had been gone for so long. The crisp air began nipping at her, trying to work it’s way through her clothes. She pulled her sweater in tight in defense, but to no avail as a chill ran up her spine. In the waning light she retreated back inside and closed the door.

Deep redness slowly filled the empty space of her glass as she carefully emptied the last of the bottle. Easing back into the warmth of her bath she studied how the crystal shimmered in the candle light. A hot bath is just what she needed to draw the lingering chill from her body with wine to fill her with warmth and to ease the emptiness of flirtatious memories. As she relaxed she could hear the growing wind outside taunting her. She turned her focus back to the company of her wine as she bathed and basked in the candle light.

Her wet body seemed to glow in the sweet flickering light as water pooled at her feet. “Oh hell!”, she softly cursed herself as she realized the towels were still waiting in the living room to be put away. Leaving a watery trail of foot prints on the old wooden floor she went to get one.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bellowed the front door. It was as if the wine spoke for her, “Yeah! Come on in!” The words just gushed from her mouth as she desperately reached for a towel. Her head buzzed with panic as modesty slapped her in the face.

The howling wind almost laughed as it wretched the door from the strangers hand sending it slamming into the wall as the man tried to regain control of it. Almost vengeful that it’s taunts were ignored earlier the bitter wind snapped the towel from her hand. The arctic like air quickly vanquished all warmth from the room within the few seconds it took the man to close the door.

“I am real sorry about that” the man apologized while securing the door, his back still towards her as he was unaware of her vulnerable and compromising situation. As he turned toward her, he began to speak,”Hi. Name’s Be…”. He stumbled on his words as he began to see the fruits of his intrusion,”M… My car bro…, I uh… Saw your…”. Then there was just an awkward silence.

There she stood, staring at the floor. Her arms crossed as she held and covered herself as best she could. Water dripped from her still wet body. The room air still frigid as steam vapors began to rise from her body, she was anything but cold. In fact she thought that at that moment she might burst into flame. Whether it was the wine or just pure humiliation she was not sure, maybe both. As she glanced at the strange young man, she suddenly felt at ease. He seemed more embarrassed then herself at the moment. Maybe it was altogether something else. She began to feel the warmth of a fire within her as her nipples hardened under her arms.

She still remembers that night, when she first met him and how he warmed her soul with the fire he ignited within her. Oh and how she still longs for “Those Cool Steamy Nights”.