Chapter 6

"All right." I shook my head, "Real subject change. You any good with an axe?"

"What, we off to slay trolls or something, browncoat boy?" Helen rolled her eyes, but I could tell she was just playing. Or at least I hoped she was.

"No, but I'll keep you in mind next time I see my boss. Seriously, though, we're out of firewood." I pointed to the small metal rack next to the fireplace, along with the lone piece of wood sitting on it.

"Naah, I think I'll let you do the masculine, grunty chores." She stood, and stretched in a motion that showed off the exquisite lines of her body.

"Okay, suits me fine, when you're the one freezing your ass off out here tonight." I stood as well, heading for the front door.

"Ok, twist my arm." She sighed.

I opened the door, and ushered her out of the house into the bright light of the day. We walked down off the porch, and headed around the side of the house to a large, tarp-covered woodpile.

With Helen's help, I removed the damp fabric, causing a slight shower of water to cascade over us both. It wasn't enough to cause more than a surprised shout from Helen, but it was fairly amusing.

Lying on the revealed pile of pine logs was an old, single-bladed axe. I picked it up, and looked over at Helen.

"You stack, I smack?" I asked, hefting the axe in both my hands.

"How bout we switch off?" she suggested, grasping one of the logs with both hands and placing it on the ground, one end up.

Waiting until she had stepped back, I swung the axe overhand, neatly cleaving the small log in half with a splintering noise. Helen moved forward, setting one of the halves upright again, and tossing the other nearby.

We continued like that. I would take a swing, and she would quickly make the wood move into a proper position. I actually had built up a light sweat by the time she called for a break.

"Ok, now I get to hit things." She laughed, taking the axe from me. For a moment, our hands touched, and I felt myself lost in her eyes again. She stared back at me, her soft gray irises reminding me of the last wisps of cloud that still flew across the sky. Holy shit, I thought, I'm having a moment.

The realization must have come to both of us, since we looked away rapidly. I immediately busied myself setting the wood for her strikes, which fell precisely and quickly after my motions. Soon, the small pile of split wood was a good size, and I held up my hand.

"That should be enough."

"Ok. Get carrying." She moved towards the house, dropping the axe in the wet soil.

"HEY!" I sputtered.

"Yes?" She turned, smirking at me. Her white t-shirt was slightly mud spattered, with small bits of wood and the obvious residue of sweat on it as well.

"Please help?" I asked nicely, retrieving the axe and placing it back on the woodpile. I grabbed at one corner of the tarp, and waited patiently.

Helen tromped to the other corner, and together we pulled the wet tarp over the woodpile again, finishing by replacing the stones at the corners. We each ferried a portion of the firewood into the house, getting pinesap and mud over our arms, as well as further soiling our clothes.

With a final heave, I dropped the last piece of wood onto the rack, and turned to face Helen. She was dirty, sweaty and wearing an expression of exhilaration on her face.

"Whew. I need a shower and a change of clothes." She said, brushing at a small mud stain on her shirt.

"Join the club." I nodded. "Dibs."

"Hey, no way. I said it first." She complained.

"My cabin." I countered.

"Ok, I'll Roe-Sham-Bo you for it. First, I'll kick you in the nuts as hard as I can..."

I groaned at the joke, before extending my fist. "Two out of three?"

We counted off three, and then both of us threw our hands down, each with a closed fist.

"Crap, Tie." Helen sighed. "Again."

This time I decided to try a double fake, and threw rock again. Staring at her closed fist after the count, I guessed that she had thought the same thing.

"Last chance, buster." She narrowed her eyes. "One... Two... THREE!"

Again we had both thrown rock. A third tie in a row.

"Well, fuck." Helen sighed. "All right, I need a shower, you do what you want.

"That's a very dangerous statement to make to a guy." I commented.

"Bullshit. You won't do anything." She taunted. "You're too much of a nice guy.

"Wanna bet?" I challenged.

We both looked at the door to the bathroom. Helen glanced back at me, and then, with a rapid motion, pulled her dirty t-shirt up over her head, revealing a black sports bra covering her breasts. There was a soft bounce as she did so, my eyes naturally drawn to her taut breasts. She placed one hand on her hip in a confident pose.

"Excuse me," She intoned, looking at the bathroom door again.

At this time I felt the stirrings of yet another hard-on. During the work out side, I hadn't paid much attention to her supple, athletic body, but here in the main room, it was impossible to ignore. With a quick breath, I yanked my own sweaty shirt off, leaving myself bare-chested.

"Naah. My shower!" I replied, dropping the shirt on the floor and rushing for the door. Helen immediately chased after me, and we darted to the door, scrambling to be the first one in.

"You know you can't take a shower with clothes on." Helen remarked, unsnapping the waist of her shorts as we stampeded into the bathroom.

"Well aware." I nodded, yanking my own shorts down, leaving me in only a pair of boxer shorts, which bulged rather obviously in the crotch.

"I still think you're too chicken." Helen laughed, her shorts now on the floor, revealing a pair of women's jockey shorts.

"That why you're still dressed?" I lunged for the shower, turning on the stream of water full blast.

"Gotta lose the undies!" Helen reminded me, with a laugh.

I bent over, dropping the boxers to my knees and kicking them off. My erection was full, but I really didn't care at this point. I had won! The shower was mine.

The water was too hot as I entered, but it was easily adjusted lower. I rested there a moment, soaking my hair, and expecting to hear the bathroom door close. I was surprised when suddenly the shower curtain was pushed aside, and I was faced with a very nude Helen.

My mouth opened in shock, as my eyes roamed over her, taking in her light pink nipples, which capped her conical breasts. My gaze roamed over her toned body, drawn to a rough discolored patch of scar tissue on the left side of her torso, before roaming lower. Her blonde hair was present on her lower body as well, a slightly darker shade, but well kept and beautiful. My cock pulsed wildly, very aware that there was a naked female present.

Helen stepped into the shower, pulling the curtain closed after her. She looked at me, the spray of water drenching us both. Her gaze dropped, giving me a once-over, before she looked me in the eye.

"You know, normally I'd call you a pig, or make a joke about men, but I think I'll just take that as a compliment." She smiled, edging past me to get the full force of the spray.

As she brushed past me, her hip bumped into my cock for an instant, causing my heart to nearly stop. She drenched her hair under the shower, the water running down her back towards the tight twin teardrops of her ass. Helen rolled her head, allowing the hot water to flow over her, and let out a soft sigh.

She leaned down for a moment, retrieving a bottle of shampoo from the shower's shelf, and for an instant, I felt a strong urge to grasp those lovely hips in my hands and just take her. She straightened, and turned around, extending the bottle towards me.

"Want some?" She asked, pouring a dollop of the thick syrupy liquid into her hand.

"Thanks," I said, trying to look at her face and not at her luscious tits.

We both soaped our hair, scrubbing the scent of pine and sweat from us. I couldn't help but stare as she leaned back and I watched the soapy water stream down her body, over her breasts, her torso, and finally down her long shapely legs. When she had finished, she moved to the side to allow me to get to the showerhead.

I scooted past her, getting into the direct spray of water. As the water ran through my hair, I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate on the shower, and not the naked woman in there with me. I would like to think I would have succeeded, had Helen's hands not come down on my back.

"I wash your back, you get mine." She said quietly, her hands rubbing a bar of soap against me. I shivered slightly, despite the warm water, as her strong hands glided over my skin, wiping away the sweat and grime.

"You don't mind, do you?" she asked, her hands stroking my back. I shook my head, swallowing nervously. If anything, I didn't want her to stop, especially when her hands moved lower, to my waist.

I expected her to stop there, but was stunned when her palm cupped my butt, giving it a quick squeeze. I jumped slightly before settling in to the contact, letting her touch me.

"Nice." She murmured, before patting me on the back with her open hand. "My turn."