Intuitive Chapter 9
Over the Mountain and Through the Woods
The next morning they got up early and House slept while they made it through Colorado and into Utah. The scenery in southern Utah was boring, dusty and hot. He woke up an hour after entering Utah.
"Is all of Utah this boring?" House was tired of the scenery.
"I've spent a few months in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and driving through northern Utah and the mountains to get there is a real treat. The people are really nice."
"They're Mormons, they have to be nice or the President of their Stake spanks them."
"Well, I don't care, they're nice people and helpful. I've thought about moving to northern Utah or Montana."
"Somewhere even more remote than Aspen Valley, California?"
"Maybe, but hardly. Aspen Valley if pretty remote as towns in California go. Greg, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm a freak of nature. No one understands my life except another real psychic. People are afraid of me, curious about me, repelled by me, attracted to me and I never know if someone is my friend because they want to use my talents or they like me for me."
"Ah, poor baby. Actually, I'm after your talents, but they're not the psychic ones." He wiggled his eyebrows and grinned.
"Well, that's refreshing!"
House took over the driving in Salina, Utah and, after driving into Nevada, remarked, "Just when you thought the scenery couldn't get any more boring, you hit Nevada."
She had to admit, it was very boring but then she knew that tomorrow would be a treat as they crossed the great Tioga Pass through Yosemite. If they hadn't both been so tired of driving and House's leg giving him pain, she would have just driven straight through to Aspen Valley, but it was still another ten hours away and they needed a break. The Nevada high desert was hot and dry, barely cooling to the nineties. The stars were so bright it looked as if they were in a planetarium. House pulled over at a rest stop, got out and stretched his leg to get the cramp to ease up. Teagan stood, leaning against the car, marveling at how clear Orion's belt was. She could even see the cluster of stars that mark his sheath. Continuing to crane her neck, she found the Big Dipper and followed it's two lower stars to the north to find Polaris and the Little Dipper. She pointed it out to House. He put an arm around her and pointed Jupiter out to her. She heard a coyote in the distance and smiled as she hugged House.
"Have you ever seen the coyotes in Yosemite?" she asked.
House shook his head.
"Most people mistake them for wolves. You might see one tomorrow as we exit the park."
"What do you mean?" House asked.
"We're going to go across the Tioga Pass, right through the northern section of Yosemite on our way to my house."
"Tioga Pass?"
"In the high Sierras, about an hour from Yosemite Valley. Most of the photos you see of Yosemite are of the Valley with Half Dome and El Capitan in the background, but fewer know the beauty of the High Sierras, the Alpine areas of the Park. My favorite part of Yosemite is the area along the Tioga Pass. We'll drive it tomorrow." She pulled back from his arms, "I'll drive us to the next town and we'll get a motel. I'll give you a massage like I did last night." Teagan offered.
"Just like you did last night?"
"Behave and we'll see what we can do. Now get in the car and buckle up."
He kissed her moist lips, lingering for a few seconds to take in the smell of her hair, her body. Getting back into the car, she drove them into the next town and they found a motel, somewhat old and run down, but it had a clean bed and bathroom.
"It reminds me of the Bates Motel." House said, throwing his bag on the floor.
"It is kind of creepy. I'm glad you're here." She said while checking the bathroom out.
She started to get undressed to take a shower. House kicked back on the bed to watch her take her clothes off, delighting when she was down to her bra and panties. Turning, Teagan went into the bathroom and turned on the water to heat up.
"Are you coming in too?" She yelled.
House jumped up, starting to take off his clothes as fast as possible, stripping down to his boxers, "Oh yeah, I love to clean dirty girls." He poked his head in, just in time to see her panties come off. He gave her a wide smile as she stood there naked, about to step into the tub. "I'm right behind you." he offered.
He climbed in and slipped both arms around her waist, hugging her into his body. He watched the water run down her neck across her collar bone and onto her round breasts. The rivulets rippled over her nipples and then onto his body. The feel of her curves in his arms, the pert nipples, the willing mouth, all sent signals to his groin. House bent down to kiss her as she tilted her head back to wet her hair. He kissed her shoulders and down to her breasts, taking a nipple into his mouth and sucking it until it was fully engorged. He did the same to the other nipple and then smiled at how plump they were. He turned her around and soaped down her back, occasionally pushing up against her back, his rection pushing against her butt. He reached around to soap down her front, his hands running circles around her breast and then sliding down her rib cage to her abdomen. She leaned back and looked back into his eyes. He kissed her forehead and for a second, he wanted her, not sex, he wanted this mysterious creature who hid away in the mountains, away from the world.
Teagan turned around and did the same for him, soaping his chest and then soaping his genitals, including the rather prominent erection he offered her. She stepped forward, pressing against him and soaped down his back, rubbing her breasts against his chest as she did. As much as he wanted to take her then and there, he wouldn't be able to support her weight with his leg while having sex standing up. He could have taken her from behind in the shower, but he really wanted to see her face as he made love to her. She finished washing her hair and then she washed his for him. They rinsed and got out.
House grabbed her wrist and limped back to the hard mattress and thin sheets. They were laughing at his urgency as they fell back into the bed. She went down under the covers, taking his organ in her mouth and sucking. Within minutes he pulled her up and hurriedly pushed her legs open and entered her. It was rough but exciting and when they were done, he didn't pull out right away, wanting to savor the feel of him inside of her. Finally, when there was nothing left of his erection, he pulled out of her,bent down and gently kissed her lips.
They didn't say anything, but they held each other. House was thinking that this would all be over in two days. He'd be out of her life and she would be out of his. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, about her. There was no doubt that he found her intriguing and interesting. But the psychic thing. That would make it hard to be with her and he wasn't sure he had the ability or desire to get past that. He found relationships hard enough. Having to overcome something as huge as dating someone who could read your mind was probably insurmountable in his book. He glanced over at her and realized she was asleep. She looked beautiful and so vulnerable asleep.
The next day Teagan was openly excited about going through Yosemite and arriving home, dancing a little jig as the started to get into the car.
She put her hands together and pleaded, "Would you please drive the first leg. I want to drive the Tioga Pass up into the park."
"Why?"
"That section of the pass scares the bejeezus out of me. Plus, I want you to be able to see everything."
"It scares you?" House was amused.
"Just the section from Lee Vining into the park. It's a very steep grade and it's over a cliff. Granted, the cliff is on the south side and we'll be going west, but it still scares me. If I'm driving, I feel more in control and the acrophobia doesn't get too bad."
He shrugged his shoulders, "Ok with me."
He drove to the Benton, California where Teagan took over the driving. As they reached Lee Vining, House noticed that the geography changed from a high desert to a deep pine forest. Lee Vining was a cute little town, a good place to stop for gas and a quick bite to eat. After eating, they started the steep climb up the Tioga Pass into the High Sierras. The mountains went on forever around them. On their side of the road the pass climbed along the face of the mountain. But when he looked across the road to the other side he could see the sharp cliff that scared Teagan. He was conscious of the deep canyon and how far a drop it was off of the pass. He realized it would be frightening to drive it coming the opposite direction. The poor passenger would be staring directly over the cliff into the abyss of rock and reached the gate into Yosemite and a tall, thirty-something ranger leaned out of the ranger hut. "Teags!! Welcome home sweetie, who's the friend?"
"Bill, this is my friend, Dr. Gregory House, he helped me drive cross-country. Anything exciting happen while I was gone?"
"We had a bear mauling the other night near Glen Aulen and two bears attacked several cars in Wolf Lodge."
"Those onery critters. Anything left of the cars?" Teagan asked.
"Not much. We had three very upset families. But the idiots left their dry food in the cars instead of the bear containers. Well, there's someone behind you who wants into the Park, see ya later."
"Bye Bill." She drove through without paying. Bill knew she was using Tioga Pass as the quickest way to get to Aspen Valley. The Rangers never made her pay, they knew she was a local and most locals got into the park for free, unless they abused the privilege. As they drove through the park, House noticed the slight smile on her face and had to admit she seemed genuinely happy and relaxed for the first time since meeting her. At Tuolumne Meadows she pulled over and pointed out to him the Tuolumne River and the beautiful path to Glen Aulin campgrounds. You could only get to Glen Aulin by hiking. The air was cool, crisp and very clean as it whipped through their hair, sending strands into Teagan's face. They drove further and went past Tenaya Lake which was in the shadows of the Cathedral Peaks. House was impressed. He had been to Yosemite, but not through the alpine areas or the Tioga Pass. As they passed the turnoff to White Wolf Lodge Teagan promised to take him there someday, if he ever came back. House smiled at her but made no effort to assure her that he would come back.
Teagan felt so at peace with the mountains and Yosemite. It was home to her. Her cabin was an important part of her healing, her survival, but she found her greatest peace when she was hiking the numerous trails in the Park. After an hour of traveling practically a straight line from east to west, they came down off of the Tioga Pass and drove towards the Park entrance/exit. On the way out House saw several deer and just before the exit, two beautiful coyotes crossed the road in front of them. House understood why the tourist would mistake the coyotes for wolves. They looked nothing like the coyotes in Southern California. These coyotes were bushy and grey with sharp noses and long grey tails.
They took a right turn just outside of the park and traveled through a small road lined with thick pine trees. They reached a campground with a restaurant that had a sign that said, "Camp Mather" and another that said, "Aspen Valley Post Office Inside." He realized that this must be the lodge she had talked about.
As they passed several people on the road they all smiled and waved at Teagan. She waved happily back at them. They reached a road marked "Mather Road" and she turned left. Traveling about half a mile, he saw a small log cabin at the end of a 100 foot driveway. She turned into the drive and turned to him, excitement in her eyes.
"We're home."