All that time, I never actually rode the sled myself, having spent all my time digging out the run and then modifying it here, shoring it up there, etc. When I finally pronounced the run good enough, I took the sled to the top, sent myself down...

«+. and promptly blew straight through and over that first banked turn.

I was just too heavy. I tried shoring it up again, but in the end I decided to just start myself at that turn and sort of lazily Let myself glide down the rest of the run.

By the time we got back to the cabin, I was REALLY tired. The girls told me to take a shower and grab a nap while they figured out dinner.

I did so gladly, cleaning up, getting into my pajamas, and falling into bed.

I think I passed out before my head even hit the pillow.

The room was quite dark when my conscious brain stirred to life and I cracked my eyelids open. I'd started my nap with afternoon daylight still coming through the window, but night had since fallen and the only illumination came from the nightlight I had brought and plugged into the wall outlet below the bed's horizon, useful in case anybody needed to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or something.

Muted sounds of conversation and laughter filtered through the thin walls of the cabin. I had no concept of what time it was or how long

I'd been napping, but before I could summon the energy to turn around and check the clock on the nightstand, I became aware of the fact that

I wasn't alone in this bed.

Before I could say a word though, she spoke first.

“Matty? You awake?"

“Mmm-hmm," I mumbled softly, recognizing Belle's voice. She was tucked beneath the covers in front of me, separated by about two feet.

She slid her hand across the sheets beneath the blanket and took hold of mine, just to hold it. I could hear her smile as she hummed happily, even if I couldn't actually see it in the dimness.

“What time is it?" I asked, yawning.

“After nine. You've been asleep for more than five hours."

“Five hours?" I asked incredulously, although my voice was still weak from lack of energy. I wasn't fully awake yet.

“Mmm-hmm," Belle confirmed. "You missed dinner, but there's lots of leftovers. You'll wanna carb up because Sam's expecting you to give her fireworks tonight."

“In a minute," I muttered with another yawn, squeezing Belle's hand. I closed my eyes again, just... breathing. Sometimes I would take naps and wake up refreshed. Other times, I'd wake up feeling even more tired than I started, and this was one of the latter. I'd get the benefits of the nap later, but for now I felt Like falling back asleep.

Belle waited with me patiently, just holding my hand. We didn't cuddle or kiss. I never once felt like pawing her boob. I just enjoyed the way her hand felt in mine, smiling to myself as I teetered the fine line between waking and passing out again.

In the end, though, I woke up. Taking progressively deeper breaths, my brain booted up and I suddenly wondered how Belle had come to be in bed with me. It had never occurred to me to wonder that before. It had just felt so completely natural that I didn't question it, as if she belonged in my bed by my side. But now I asked, “What are you doing in here instead of out there?"

“Oh, I came to check on you about twenty minutes ago. You know, just to make sure you were still breathing after five hours and didn't die from excessive fucking." She giggled cutely.

“Apparently I was still breathing.”

“You looked so peaceful I just wanted to watch you sleep, so I stuck around.”

“For twenty minutes?"