Holidayzs - 12 Dayzs of Christmas #7 by Menolly   Lois wandered across to the wooden bench on the terrace and sat down, balancing the coffee mug on the arm of the bench as she settled herself. She looked back at the menu, to the next ice-cream flavour, vanilla chocolate fudge, and the scent of pine and the tang of a crisp winter day on an all too rare holiday whispered into her mind ...   Lois pushed open the door of the cabin and staggered inside, dropping her skis in an untidy tangle on the floor. Clark followed behind her, trying to hold back an amused smile as she collapsed on the sofa facing the fire. "Ohhh ..." she said, groaning softly as she tried to stretch her legs out in front of her "I am _never_ going to walk again. I can't believe how unfit I am! I used to spend days skiing without any problem when I was at college. Now look at me - one day and I'm crippled! I ache everywhere ..." Clark smothered a laugh as he turned to stack his skis, then picked hers up from the floor, listening to her ramble on about the unfairness of life as she took off her boots. He decided not to remind her that the resort assistant who'd briefed them on conditions on the slopes had told them to take it easy on the first day. Lois didn't generally welcome I-told-you-so's ... he grinned to himself. Understatement of the decade, Kent! he thought, mentally running through some ideas to relax her. Lois caught sight of his grin. Oops, he thought. The wary expression that crossed his face turned to surprise as she began to laugh. "I'm sorry ..." she said chuckling "I'm babbling again aren't I? One of these days I'll learn I can't do everything at once ... just don't expect it to be anytime soon." Clark nodded with a wry smile on his face as he reflected that, one of these days, he might learn to anticipate her reactions. On second thoughts, he hoped he never did. Somehow he thought he'd miss the element of surprise in their relationship. He unzipped his jacket and hung it by the door then walked across the room and reached down from behind the sofa to hug Lois, his arms wrapping around her stomach as he bent to kiss the top of her head. Lois covered his hands with hers, and tipped her head back to kiss him. He smiled at the sight of her upside-down face, and gently tasted her lips, parted slightly, before covering her mouth with his, kissing her softly, his hands rubbing her stomach in slow circles through the ski suit she was wearing. "Mmmm" Lois sighed against his mouth, tugging his lip between hers before letting it slip away then soothing it with a small kiss which deepened a little. She traced his lips, then slid her tongue gently into his mouth. Lois sighed again in contentment as he sucked lightly, pulling it a little further in, stroking it with his own. Clark lifted his head a little to trail kisses across her face and down the length of her neck, bared to him as she lay her head against the back of the sofa. He nipped gently against the skin at the base of her neck, and trailed back upwards, stopping at her ear. "How about the hot tub?" he asked, his question a soft breath blowing across her ear "Might ease some those aches and pains ..." "Ohhh .. yes" Lois turned her head to kiss him. "That ... would ...be ... wonderful" she replied, interrupting her answer with kisses. Clark moved around the sofa to stand in front of her, and held his hands out to her. She took them, and he pulled her up against him, picked her up, and took her through the bedroom. He sat her on the bed and went to open the glass door leading out onto the deck at the back of the cabins, picking up a small bottle from the window ledge by the door. The deck faced out across the snow covered valley, away from the ski runs and the resort village, screened off from neighbouring cabins by the pine trees that grew all around. Clark lifted the cover of the sunken tub to check that the heater had switched on to warm the water earlier. It hadn't, and Clark muttered in irritation as he realised he'd forgotten to set it. Taking off his glasses, he looked into the tub. The water began to swirl as convection currents rose and fell under his gaze and steam soon rose in gentle tendrils from the tub. Clark opened the bottle he was carrying and poured a small amount of the contents into the tub, trailing his hand in the water to distribute the oil which floated on the surface of the water in tiny iridescent pools, releasing a soft scent of vanilla. Checking the temperature of the water once more, he rose and went back into the bedroom, replacing the bottle on the ledge as he did so. Lois was still sitting on the edge of the bed, her legs stretched in front of her, grimacing as she rubbed at her lower back. He crouched in front of her, gently rubbing her legs, massaging. "Ohh, that feels good" sighed Lois, tugging at the zip of her skisuit, her cold fingers fumbling to grip the tag. Clark reached up, stilled her hands, and eased the zip down, unsnarling it from a loose thread in the turtleneck sweater she wore under the suit until the suit was open to the waist. Lois pushed the suit from her arms, and tried to stand to take it off. She stumbled as she stood, her knees buckling. Clark reached to steady her, holding her up as she pushed the suit to the floor and sank back to sit on the bed, kicking the material from her feet. Lois crossed her arms, gripping the hem of the sweater, and pulled it over her head. She shivered a little as the cold air from the slightly open door brushed over her, raising small goosebumps on her skin. "Let's get you into that tub before you freeze" said Clark with a smile as Lois rubbed at her arms, trying to warm them. "Don't laugh. Just because you don't get cold ..." grumbled Lois, unsuccessfully trying not to smile back at him. Clark sat next to her on the bed and slid his warm fingers under the elastic of the cropped top sports bra she wore, tugging it upwards. Lois lowered her head and held her arms out to help him slide it from her. "This thing is definitely no fun" he said, looking at the fabric "no clips; no lace; nothing." Lois laughed and kissed his disappointed pout. "I always thought you preferred nothing" she teased. Clark laughed and kissed her. "I do ... I do" he said against her mouth, his hand curving over her skin, caressing her. "This is infinitely better than lace ..." He lowered his mouth to kiss her breasts quickly, his mouth closing over each nipple, pebbled a little from the cold air and his attentions, then sat back up, pulling away with an effort. "And this isn't getting you any further towards that tub" he said. Lois sighed. "No, I suppose not; I'd better do something before I set like concrete." She reached down, hooked her thumbs in her panties and slid them down her legs. Clark watched with fascination, as though he hadn't seen her repeat that manoeuvre a thousand times already. Lois sat back up and turned to speak to him, stopping as she caught the expression on his face. A shiver ran through her, and she was uncertain whether it was from the cold air on her skin or the heat flooding through her in response to his hot gaze. Probably both she thought with a smile as Clark pulled himself back to reality. "You're getting cold" he said as he picked her up, carrying her out onto the deck and lowering her into the tub. The warm water stung slightly against Lois' chilled skin, but she slid in with a sigh of contentment as the heat from the water spread through her. Clark sat at the edge of the tub, his hand stroking her head, twirling strands of hair through his fingers as he watched her close her eyes and relax. "Do you need anything?" he asked "Hungry?" "Mmm, yes" said Lois in a low voice, her eyes still closed, her smile growing slightly wicked "why don't you go and get undressed and join me?" Clark laughed, the picture that formed in his mind at her words and tone provoking a rush of heat through him. "I meant for food, my little witch" he said, his voice betraying his arousal. Lois laughed "If you can find something interesting enough to eat in the kitchen as well, then yes, why not ... but don't take too long over it ..." Her voice trailed off in a smile as she watched Clark get up quickly and walk back into the cabin. Lois lay back, the water lapping gently around the base of her throat, the chill in the air intensifying the sweet pleasure of the heat of the water, the vanilla scent of oil in the water relaxing as it mixed with the tang of pine that drifted from the nearby trees. She moved slightly to be able to look out, away from the cabin to the deserted valley faraway below. The sky was a crisp dark blue, studded with faint stars, as the evening began to close in, the sun catching the top of the mountains around in a red gold chilled fire, shadows drawing across the valley. Lois closed her eyes listening to the muted sounds of Clark moving inside the cabin and the occasional shiver of sound as snow fell from pine branches in the still air. She heard footsteps on the wooden deck and opened her eyes, turning to see Clark approach. Appreciation reflected in her gaze. He'd undressed, and she watched the play of skin sliding over muscles as he moved, his skin tawny in the dying sun, the effects of her earlier teasing still evident. Lois smiled as she reacted to the sight of him, to the promise of his arousal, and received a smile in reply as her open admiration warmed him. Clark set a bowl down beside the tub and walked across to light the lanterns hanging from the roof over the deck before sitting at the edge of the tub beside Lois, trailing his legs in the water as he bent down to kiss her smile. "So, what did you bring to eat" asked Lois, her voice a soft purr. Clark reached behind him to pick up the bowl he'd set down. "Ice cream, what else?" he teased "Vanilla chocolate fudge. It was either that or your lipstick - there was nothing else in the fridge or freezer." "I'm not complaining" said Lois, unruffled by the teasing "as long as we keep the essentials I'm happy". Clark picked up the spoon and scooped some ice cream from the bowl. Lois looked at him expectantly, her expression turning to slight disappointment as he ate the ice cream, but brightening as he scooped a little more, his smile broadening at her protest as he raised the spoon to his mouth again. "Hey! Don't I get any?" Clark raised his eyebrows at her, grinning, as he slid the spoon into his mouth and sucked the ice cream from it with a deliberate slowness. Lois stuck out her bottom lip in a pout at him, her arms crossed in indignation. He bent down and kissed her, her lips parting involuntarily at his touch, and let the ice cream slide from his mouth to hers, cool and melting in contrast to the warm firmness of his lips against hers. Lois swallowed, and kissed him back, tasting the chocolate on his lips and in his mouth as her tongue crept past his lips to explore his mouth. "You're forgiven," she murmured, her mouth still brushing against his, "but only if you do that again." Clark smiled, and complied. This time Lois broke away from the kiss to trail small cold kisses down his neck and chest, then kissing his nipple, opening her mouth slowly over it as she kissed, letting the cold ice cream slide forwards to touch his skin, then sucking it back in again. Clark gasped at the unexpected touch, putting the bowl down before he dropped it; Lois smiled, her lips brushing his skin. She let the ice cream melt against him as she kissed and sucked each nipple in turn, then kissed her way down over his chest and stomach, licking at the melted ice cream until she reached the top of Clark's legs and nuzzled at the curls there. At this, Clark reached for her, pulling her up to kiss her. "Enough ... for now ..." he said, still kissing her. They shared the ice cream until the bowl was empty. Setting the bowl aside Clark moved to sit on the edge of the tub behind Lois, legs on either side of her, and began to massage her shoulders. "Ohhh .. that feels so good" she said in a soft whisper. Clark slid down into the tub behind her and put his arms around her to pull her against him, kissing her shoulders and neck. He continued to massage her, his movements a little slowed by the drag of the water, moving down to her back as he ran his thumbs down either side of her spine, then working his way back up, his hands and fingers feathering across her back to knead gently at her slightly tense and knotted muscles. He brushed his fingers against the sides of her breasts, whether accidentally or not Lois couldn't tell, but she felt him swelling a little against her bottom with his touch and reached back between them to stroke him, her fingers wrapped around him. "Ahh ..." Clark groaned a little, closing his eyes at her touch. His hands slowed on her back as he lost himself a little in the feel of her hand stroking over him. Lois twisted around to sit on his lap, facing him, and wrapped both hands around him; one played gently with the tip while the other stroked. Lois looked down to watch the effect she was having. Clark bit his lip, his hands clenched at his sides, trying to raise the effort to stop her before he completely lost control. Slowly he brought his hands up to cover hers, and stilled her movements. She looked back up to him, a little contrite as she saw the effort to hold back in his tense face. "I'm sorry" she whispered, kissing him, "I got a little carried away" "I think I was about to" he answered wryly, "but, much as I love it when you do that, I want you with me this time ..." His voice grew quieter as he leaned forward to kiss her, his hands leaving hers to caress her skin, sliding one hand up from her waist to caress her breasts, the other tracing small patterns across her skin, dipping a finger into her navel. Lois shifted her hands to his chest, her fingers spreading out to support her as she leaned into the kiss; her mouth opened to the touch of his tongue licking the taste of chocolate from her lips. They exchanged small soft kisses as his hands wandered over her. Clark kissed her a little harder then pulled away a little. He smiled at her growing arousal and ducked his head below the water to kiss her breasts as his hands moved downwards, sliding between her legs as she sat in his lap. He sucked on her, licking and lapping at her, pushing the warm water over the peaks he made of her nipples; his fingers played with her, dipping into her then sliding out to caress her. Lois' breathing became faster, more erratic, as she gripped his shoulders. She slid a hand up through his hair, soft and fluid in the water, and held him to her, arching herself closer to his mouth and hands. She opened a little more under his fingers, and Clark raised his head from her to kiss her mouth again as he slid his hands to her hips and raised her from the water to sit her at the edge of the tub. Lois shivered in the chill air, and he hugged her to him as he stood in front of her in the water. She slid her arms around his neck, warmth spreading through her again as she pressed herself to his chest. He moved forwards slightly and nudged her legs open with his thigh, running his hands down her back to pull her closer to him so that she sat on the very edge of the tub. Lois wrapped her legs around him to pull him into her as she felt his erection against her thighs. Clark put his hands on the deck on either side of her to support himself as he gently pushed forwards, parting her as he slid into her. She shifted a little, sliding her legs up towards the small of his back to let him sink further into her. She moaned softly, her face buried against his neck, as she felt him stretch her, warmth flooding through her. "You like that?" asked Clark, teasing as he pulled out and thrust lightly into her, his arousal thickening his voice. Lois pulled herself together enough to tease him back "Perhaps ...you might want to do it again just so I can check ... ohhhh ...."she gasped as Clark rocked against her again, pulling out further and pushing in a little harder. "Again" she muttered, pulling him to her to increase the rhythm of his thrusts against her, arching against him. "Again ... again ..." she chanted softly, lost in the feel of him, echoing their pace with her voice until Clark brought his mouth down over hers, swallowing her words as they kissed, Lois urging him on with small frantic kisses on his lips, his face, then returning to his mouth and thrusting her tongue through his lips. "Please ..." she moaned softly. Clark felt himself start to slide into climax with the thick sound and slid a hand between them to touch her, to caress the soft nub just above the point at which he joined her, trying to accelerate her arousal to match his. His thumb pressing a little against her, he rubbed against her, feeling her start to shift against him, fast and restless. A moment later he lost his tenuous grip on himself as he felt her clench around him, muscles squeezing him. He pushed into her for the last time, flooding into her. Lois arched again as her climax rippled through her, lifting her against Clark; she felt him stiffen, kissing her again then breathing her name brokenly. They clung together for a moment, shudders breaking through each of them as they relaxed, then Clark picked Lois up and sunk back into the still warm water with her, still inside her, leaning back in the tub with Lois sprawled over his lap, her heart rate slowing. "How are the aches and pain now?" he asked, his hand stroking her head as she lay against him. "What aches and pains?" asked Lois, her voice soft. Clark chuckled.   As her mind cleared Lois smiled to herself. Powerful memories, she thought, I can still smell the pines ... Then she laughed as she realized the pine scent came from the small tree growing in a tub on the terrace, the Christmas tree she and Clark had bought a couple of Christmases earlier. They'd decided to buy a living tree, and it now spent each year outside on the terrace, to be brought indoors from Christmas Eve until Epiphany. Sipping at the coffee, relaxing with the gentle warmth of sunlight on her, Lois looked back to the menu ...   Back to Dayzs #6, forward to Dayzs #8 Uploaded: 11 February 1997 Written: December 1995 See index page for disclaimer and copyright acknowledgements. This story, however, is my copyright and is not to be distributed without my permission.