The stormy night #

A crash of thunder and blinding electric light flooded the valley as Max and Amber rode. Max steering the horse through narrow paths and trails, trying to beat the storm. The horse’s hooves thundering on the earth as they sped along.

Their destination, the faint and welcoming glow of Strawberry, rose in the distance through the darkening evening. The sounds of the waterwheel in the centre of town churning in the fast-moving stream started to reach their ears between the cracks of thunder that overwhelmed their senses.

They quickly galloped through the town and came to a stop in front of the town hotel that resided within the Welcome Centre.

As the rain started to fall, Max hops off the horse and Amber jumps off, her boots splattering into the already muddying ground. Max quickly ties the horse and Both he and Amber go inside.

The doors close, drowning out the cacophony outside. Replaced with the warm sounds of a crackling fire and the rich smells of leather, hard wood and oils in the lamps.

“Glad we beat the storm” Max says, relieved. “Mostly” he finishes with a damp shrug.

Amber smiles, “Yep, we did”, she agrees, “Not a moment too soon”.

With a slight smile and a nod, Max gestures up the ornate wooden staircase that leads up to the accommodations on the second floor. “Shall we, my dear?” He asks softly.

“Of course” Amber replies, with a grin, and starts up the stairs. Max follows hurriedly as she turns the corner to go into their room for the night.

Max enters quietly and closes the heavy wooden door. He turns with the candlelight flickering in the dim room. A warm fire is going in the fireplace, giving the room a cozy atmosphere. Amber, sits on the king-sized grand wooden bed and looks around, smiling. “This is nice” She says, wiping some of the wetness off her clothing.

“I am going to go find some towels and some hot drinks” Max says, “We can get these clothes dried by the fire”. Max slips out quietly to fetch things.

After about 15 minutes, Max slowly opens the door, stepping into the warm room, and closes it quietly. He turns and almost drops his things.

He sees Amber, fully nude, laying on her stomach on the bed, her shapely naked form exposed in the flickering warm light of the room, her legs slightly apart. Her knees are bent with feet pointed up, swinging around playfully as she is propped on her elbows.

In front of her, a journal lays open. She is twirling a pencil in her fingers, seemingly lost in thought as she thinks of what to write. She turns her head and looks at where Max entered, seeing his expression.

She smiles playfully, “Are you just going to stand there?” she whispers, a slight twinkle in her eye as she shifts slightly, spreading her legs farther apart.