20 SHADE OF FORBIDDEN TABOO

Episode 9

Our conversation ended there. I tried one last time to wrap my blanket completely around my body to keep myself warm for the night. Unfortunately, I only lasted a few minutes before I had to switch positions again. My feet weren't completely covered and quickly became cold.

Claire let out a large sigh of frustration when my foot accidentally hit her sleeping bag.

"Okay, that's it," Claire started.

"I'm sorry," I said, cutting her off.

"No, come here."

From over my shoulder, I heard Claire shifting around in her sleeping bag. Then I heard the zipper quietly being unzipped. I turned around to face her, trying to see what she was doing.

Claire faced me, resting on her forearm and holding herself sitting up. Her blonde hair was tousled around her head and hung downward. She was wearing an oversized T-shirt from her college and I noticed she wasn't wearing pants when I saw her holding the side of the sleeping bag open. Her long bare legs lay comfortably in the sleeping bag. She looked drowsy and annoyed, but pretty as always. Claire was a beautiful girl and even though she was my older sister, I noticed it.

"Come on," she whispered while telling me to hurry up with her hand movements. "It's cold."

"What?"

"Get in, you can sleep in my sleeping bag."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! I would like to get some sleep tonight."

I relented at first, not wanting to be stuffed into a single sleeping bag with my older sister, but after picturing how the rest of my night would go otherwise, I agreed.

"Okay."

I removed the blanket from on top of myself and slid over to Claire. She stopped me with her hand on my chest.

"Hold up... You're not sleeping here with your outside clothes. Get your pjs on."

"I just have a T-shirt and boxers under it."

"That's fine. Those old pants are probably full of dirt and shit."

"Freak."

"You know what, maybe you can keep using the blanket."

"Okay, okay, I'm taking 'em off."

I stripped my sweater and pants off, piling them in the corner of the tent. I was left in only my T-shirt and boxers. The night air was nipping at my skin, so I hurriedly squirmed at Claire and zipped the sleeping bag closed around us.

Claire's sleeping bag was meant to hold heat, and immediately I could feel the warmth soothing my body.

"Ahhh... This is better," I admitted.

"You're welcome."

"Thanks."

"Night."

"Night."

The sleeping bag left a little wiggle room. Claire and I weren't squished together within it, but we were slightly touching at the hip and shoulder. However, I didn't mind at all because the warmth emanating from her body was relaxing.

Very quickly my body forgot the terrible feeling of being freezing and I was getting comfortable. I couldn't help but appreciate how kind Claire was in allowing me to sleep with her.

We attempted to sleep side by side for a while, but it proved to be challenging. We were stretching the sleeping bag as far as it could go horizontally and it was compressing against both of our chests.

Eventually, we decided to sleep on our sides, back to back. That way we created slightly more room to breathe. Quickly, Claire was falling asleep as I heard her breath soften and space out