Re: *Winter's Present* - serialized

On 2/17/2026 5:15 PM, Bryan Simmons wrote:
> 
> 
>              Winter’s Present
>                     .
>                Bryan Simmons
> 
>      Table of Contents
> 
> Silver    9
> Winter    23
> Fast    29
> Wearing White    49
> Sex Kitten    59
> The Party    73
> Turkey Claus    101
> Boy Talk    121
> Scorpions    131
> Ann    147
> Lady Bear    173
> Cinnamon Buns    189
> Sandy Beach    205
> Our Tricycle    235
> Queen of Love    249
> Art    279
> Pillow Talk    291
> A Pink Line to Burritos    297
> Making Love    309
> Solomon    317
> Wearing White Again    323
> Change is Hard    333
> The Letter    337
> The Vapors    365
> Performance Issues    373
> Somebody Else's Daughter    391
> Love Kiss    399
> Bigamy    411
> Equality    425
> Anniversary    439
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Copyright 2014, 2025 by Bryan Simmons
> 
> 
> This book is dedicated to my wife, Betsy, and to my muse, who shall 
> remain nameless.
> 
                          Lady Bear

Ann cried hard, and Winter held her close.  When the crying lessened to 
a sob, Winter raised Ann's face, and gently kissed the salty tears. 
"The first time I saw you, you were arguing with another girl.  Then 
some days later, I saw the two of you again, and I could tell you were 
more than friends.  The third time, the girl was obviously being cruel 
to you, and you cried.  I wanted so much to hold you just like this, and 
kiss away your tears, but I figured it was only a matter of time until 
you'd get sick of being hurt, and I tried to make sure I'd be the one to 
make it all go away.   All during break, even with all that was going 
on, I thought about you, that I wanted to be your white knight, and you, 
you'd be my princess.   When school started back up, I noticed that you 
were always alone.  I racked my brain trying to figure out how I was 
going to meet you, and I came to the conclusion that I should just be 
perfectly honest, because the worst thing that could happen is that 
you'd tell me that I was creepy, and to stay the Hell away from you."

Ann said, "That took a lot of courage.  You just walked up and 
introduced yourself, and when I offered you my hand and said, 'I'm Ann,' 
instead of shaking my hand, you lifted it up and held it and asked me if 
I believed in love at first sight."

Winter corrected her, "Not exactly.  I asked you if you thought someone 
could fall in love with a person they'd never met, because I thought I 
was in love with you.  You laughed."

"I thought you were crazy, Winter, but in that moment every other 'I 
love you' I'd ever heard, it was like they were hollow, and I kissed 
you.  That surprised me almost as much as what you did, because I don't 
kiss in public, especially not a girl, but I couldn't not.  I think 
today all the crap from the past just kind of came back, and it feels 
like maybe I got it out of my system, at least for a while.  I *am* 
sorry."

"For what? asked Winter.

"For crying like that."

"But it gave me the chance to kiss away your tears like I imagined all 
those times."  Ann began to cry again, but Winter knew these tears were 
happy ones, and they were for her.   It was early, but they both fell 
asleep, woke in the darkest hours to commune, then back asleep, satisfied.

Ann awoke in Winter's embrace, and assumed she'd slept there pretty much 
the remainder of the night with only slight repositionings.  Winter's 
face was expressionless in her slumber, but Ann knew that when she awoke 
there would be that glow of love in her eyes, and in her words.  Ann 
knew if she asked Winter to move somewhere where they could be together 
forever, she'd give up anything, the money, anything.  They could live 
under a bridge together, that was the gist of what she'd said.  None of 
that exactly, but that kind of love.  “She told me, 'Just say the words, 
and I'll end it with Ian', but I can't.  Can't.  He gives her things 
that I *can't*.  I keep rehearsing in my head, just the way that Winter 
told me she did.  How can I tell her that I just want to be there too? 
To be included.”

Ann nudged Winter awake, "Winter?"

"Ann," said Winter, then pursing her lips, "come here and love me."

They kissed until Winter seemed to have her fill, then Ann asked, "Can I 
go with you today?"

Winter sat up, "To the zoo?  With Ian?"

"Yeah," said Ann.

"So you want to meet him?" Winter asked.  "I guess I knew that had to 
happen eventually, but I was concerned that when you see him it might be 
hurtful.  He's not unattractive, even though he's older.  I've gotten 
used to him, and enjoy him physically, but I can see you being put off. 
Up to now the whole thing has been abstract to you, but if you spend 
time with us, I'm just afraid you'll feel, I don't know, feel something 
that makes you unhappy.  He thinks that too, and he knows how I love 
you."  Winter kissed her again, then whispered, "Everyone who matters to 
me does."

"I won't be jealous," said Ann.  "I know what he means to you, and what 
I do.  Maybe he just doesn't want me around because he's afraid I'd cock 
block."

"No, Ann, if that were the reason, he'd tell me.  It really is because 
he cares for me, and he knows how I can't stand to see you sad. 
Otherwise, I'm sure he'd love you to be around.  He knows I sleep with 
you every night that I don't spend with him, and he's made clear that he 
doesn't want me to shower, or so much as wash my face before I go to 
him, because he doesn't want me to wash off a molecule of *you*."

"That's hot."

Winter laughed, "You're full of surprises.  You never impressed me as 
the type to be turned on by lechery.  He asked me to bring him your 
panties too."

"Did you?"

"Of course not, and he apologized for asking.  You don't work for him. 
I do.  Speaking of which, I need to get over there.  I'll call you after 
he finishes with me.  I can't tell you when.  Sometimes it's a quick 
blow job, other times it's the full body inspection, and whatever else. 
I'm sure he'll be OK with it, but it's his time, so I do need to ask.  I 
really have to go," and Winter finished pulling on her clothes before 
she turned toward the door.

"Um, aren't you forgetting something?" Ann asked.

"I'm sorry.  How could I leave without kissing you and telling you how 
much I love you?"

"Well there's that," said Ann, "and then there's these."  Hanging from 
Ann's extended index finger were her yesterday's panties.

"You're sure?" asked Winter, her eyes wide.  Winter put them in her 
purse.  She again walked to the door and as she opened it to leave, 
turned her face toward Ann, shook her head slightly and said through a 
smile, "You *little* whore."  As she walked to the car she thought, 
"That was my best one in weeks."

On the short drive, Winter strategized.  It was a fairly warm day for 
early February, and she didn't want to spend any more of it than 
necessary inside, being cat-washed by Ian.  "The quick blow job it is 
then, and I have the secret weapon."

When Winter got there, Ian was in the living room listening to the 
radio.  When she came in, he got up and walked over to the radio, and 
turned it off.   "Reporting for duty."  She saluted, and they both 
laughed.   They sat on the couch and he kissed on her neck, her 
shoulders and her breasts.   Winter wanted to get on with things.  She 
and Ann had already satisfied each other so well bodily the night 
before.   Anxious to see how the zoo was going to go, she said, "Lie 
back and let me give you a present."   Luck was with her, since he was 
wearing nothing under his robe."  He was already hard, and she started 
to work on him with her right hand.   She ordered Ian to close his eyes, 
and with her left hand, retrieved the panties from her purse, put them 
over Ian's face, and gently held them there.  Then, affecting a younger 
voice, "They're Ann's."

It was almost as fast as the first time.  He held her head with both 
hands as he exploded in her mouth.   The first thing he said was, "Thank 
you."  She knew what he meant.  He never thanked her after sex.

"Don't thank me, thank Ann."

His expression betrayed the slightest embarrassment as he asked, "She 
was OK with it?"

"She offered.  Also, she wants to go to the Zoo with us today.  Is that OK?"

Ian smiled, "Right now if she asked me for the Moon, I'd be hard pressed 
to turn her down."

"No Moon," said Winter, "just the Zoo."

As usual, Winter drove.  She'd freely admitted that she just liked to 
drive his car, and she wasn't embarrassed by Ian driving it, just amused 
by the fact that he'd chosen such a feminine color scheme.  When they 
pulled in front of the dorm, Ian relocated to the back seat.  As Ann 
approached the car, Ian thought, "Except for the missing wings, she 
could be an angel."  She was wearing a sundress that wasn't exactly pale 
yellow, nor cream, but something in between, and a wide brimmed hat. 
She walked to the passenger side, paused, then opened the back door and 
climbed in with Ian.

Winter said, "He got into the back so you could sit up front.  He's 
always such a gentleman."

"So I've heard, but I think I'd like to get to know this gentleman of 
yours."  Ian couldn't help but look her up and down, and his gaze lasted 
overlong on her legs, which were covered in soft blond hair.   Ann 
noticed, and said, "They've never been touched by a razor.  Winter said 
you liked women just the way God made them."

"Well, I'm not sure if I mentioned God, but that is correct, and as far 
as I can tell, in your case, God made no errors, and it seems I am in 
your debt."

"It seemed only fair.  I've certainly tasted you enough times."

Winter spoke up, "Ian, she's never like this.  She's messing with you, 
and I feel a bit like I'm being mocked, albeit in a good way.  She's 
right though, and I've been thinking that you should pull out every now 
and then, both for Ann, and for your own benefit."  The little car 
filled with mirth, but both Ian and Ann blushed a bit, which further 
amused Winter.  "I'm serious, Ian.  I love feeling you ejaculate inside 
me, but a girl would like to taste all girl now and then."  Winter was 
on a roll, "You could take your penis out of my vagina and ejaculate on 
my tummy.  That'd be hot, right?"

Ian and Ann looked at each other, and almost in unison raised their 
shoulders and moved their heads side to side, all smiles, as if they 
were both thinking, "Only Winter."

Winter let Ian and Ann make small talk as she drove the short distance 
to the zoo.  They didn't need each others' vitaes, because they were 
each curious enough to have gotten that much from Winter.  As they 
pulled into the parking lot, Winter started where she'd left off some 
minutes before.  "I think the scientific sex words are way hotter than 
slang.  They're more specific.   That's why they make people squirm. 
You two are both a little uncomfortable with me saying ejaculate.  I 
know you are, and you need to not be.  It's something that male bodies 
do, and I like it, and I have orgasms.  I don't just, "come."  It's more 
than that.  We all have orgasms, and we don't just come to them, we have 
them, and relish the feeling while it's happening.  We go through the 
whole process, and it's good."  Winter found a parking spot.  "Used to 
be, people were uncomfortable with 'vagina,' but now they use vagina 
when they really mean, 'vulva.'  See?  Vulva is a beautiful word, but 
it's too beautiful.  If I just had a tube for the semen to go in, and 
the baby to come out, I wouldn't be what I am."  Winter had parked, but 
no one was getting out.  "Saying vagina like that is insulting to women. 
  It's like denying every other aspect of my vulva, and I'm not OK with 
that.  I'm not just some receptacle.  My vulva is beautiful, and you 
both love it.  I don't want either of you to ever say pussy or even 
vagina unless you are specifying vagina."  Winter looked back at Ian, "I 
don't call your penis a cock.  You're not a rooster.  People use 
euphemisms because they are ashamed, even if just a little.  Even if 
just a little isn't alright.  I'm not ashamed that I enjoy my vulva, and 
Ann," Winter craned her neck to look back at her, "I love every little 
part of your vulva, and both of you feel that way about mine."  Winter 
smiled, "I know you do.  You show me, and it's glorious.  Don't ever 
diminish anything by using shame words.  Clitoris is beautiful too. 
Clit sounds cold, and like you're ashamed to say the real word, not 
either of you even, but everyone.  Shame words hurt women, and they 
diminish men.  They make sex seem dirty, when it is really the purest, 
cleanest thing there is, if you can take the dirtiness out of your mind, 
and when I share my body with another person, there's nothing dirty, and 
that's the case with you Ian, even with the money thing.  If I thought 
having sex with you was icky, it wouldn't have happened more than once. 
I won't ever let anyone take away my birthright, and you never tried to, 
Ian.  If you ever do, I'm gone, but I don't think you will."  Ian didn't 
know how to answer.

Ann broke the silence, "I've never heard anyone say things like that.  I 
don't know what you mean about dirty, but I know about being ashamed. 
The shame wasn't in me, but it was put on me.  I felt like I was 
supposed to feel it, but I didn't."  She turned to Ian, "You know I was 
raped?"  She waited for an answer.

"Winter told me that, and it pains me to think that anyone has ever hurt 
you, and it's worse to know that it was a man, I mean, like that.  I've 
never hurt a woman in that way, and while I think that sexual aggression 
exists in all males, no decent excuse for a man would ever act upon it."

As they got out of the car, the subject went back to words.  "You know, 
I also take issue with people calling intercourse, 'making love'," said 
Winter with conviction.  "That's only one way to make love, and I'm not 
talking about other sex things, but about creating love, and expanding 
love.  Touching can bring love into existence.  It doesn't have to be 
sex.  When I hug my mom, that makes love.  When I smile, and sincerely 
thank someone who hands me food at a freakin' fast food joint, I bring 
love into existence.  When I do anything unselfish, even if it didn't 
cost me anything, I make love."

After a thoughtful pause, Winter said, "I'm sorry I got so heavy.  Let's 
get on with our day."  She knew that she'd made the other two 
uncomfortable, and that she'd have to make up for that.  "Ian has 
tickets!" she announced, as they exited the parking lot.  "We can ride 
the carousel, and the little train.  Oh, Ann, have you ever ridden the 
train?"   Winter embraced Ann, and Ian looked in awe at the comfort that 
Winter gave, and its effectiveness.  Winter seemed to take Ann's 
uneasiness into herself, and transform it into pure love.   Pity was 
cast off so quickly, and replaced by hopefulness, as they jaunted toward 
the gate, Ian mostly going through the motions while the girls seemed 
almost giddy.  Winter finally noticed his mood and said, "It's all 
good."  Ian wasn't sure that it really was, but admitted to himself that 
it should be, and steeled himself to make it so.

Winter continued to cut through the fog of the uneasiness she'd sown, 
"They have baby goats, and a carousel, and sea lions, and the sea lions 
are almost like people."

Ian wondered what had set Winter off.  Maybe it was just the stress of 
having he and Ann together for the first time.  It was nice that she'd 
thought to praise him, and her take on words was didactic.  Winter's 
anger seldom surfaced, but it was always in the form of righteous 
indignation, and never about her own life.  She'd told him that nothing 
really bad had ever happened to her.  It was probably all the stories in 
the news about girls being hurt.  She'd mentioned what had happened to 
Ann, and he couldn't know what they'd spoken about last night or early 
this morning.

The women had gotten a ways ahead, and Winter was pointing at the train 
that was just starting to move, then she looked back and motioned for 
him to hurry up.   They kept walking, and didn't stop until the bears. 
  Ian's tensions vanished when he caught up and heard Winter's words, 
back to form. "They need to get that one a lady bear."

They walked past the bears and the penguins until they reached a 
colorful carousel, where the seats were in the shapes of various animals.

Winter whispered in Ann's ear, "Watch Ian when he's on the ride.  You 
know how I notice things.  Well, Ian intentionally positions himself to 
check out girls.  I mean, even with me there he does.  Not little girls, 
but teenage ones, and especially the young moms."

Ian asked, "What are you two whispering about?"

"Oh, I was telling Ann about how you like the carousel early in the 
morning, when there are lots of women to check out.  You see, I've 
observed you twice in this environment, and it easily could have been 
the same event."  Winter started laughing.  There was no one close 
enough to hear, no one else.  It was just they three.   "You scope out 
all the women and intentionally orient us so that you can see them." 
Winter continued to laugh as she recounted, "Ian, I think it's charming. 
  You don't leer.  You're so careful not to, and I almost wish that I 
hadn't said those things in the car, because I noticed that you, and you 
too, Ann, found it a little much, but I need to say things.  That's what 
I do.  I say things.  I say things that I figure need to be said, and I 
don't let myself not say them because the timing might not be right.  If 
I try, it's almost always wrong, so I don't try."

"What I was telling Ann wasn't a confidence.  The whispering was more 
for drama than anything else, and I'm glad you asked.  Do it, Ian.  Look 
at that one."  Winter pointed and snorted.  "She's hot and she's got two 
kids.  You're thinking, 'Fecund,' and she's got a little boy and a 
little girl, and you're thinking you wished that you could have," after 
coughing out a laugh, "impregnated her.  I mean it Ian, charming."

Ian didn't try to prove Winter wrong.  He didn't feel called out, but 
validated, and went with Winter's suggestion.  The woman wasn't his 
preferred physical type, and Winter knew that, but she was pretty in her 
own way, and had a unique face.  "Yeah," she thought, "but what he's 
looking for is novelty.  Tiny nuances excite him," and she did her 
little scrunch up face like a rabbit thing that she'd said more than 
once made her less pretty but "so cute."

Winter understood that Ian didn't prioritize the carousel experience 
because it was free for the first hour.  He may, and she was certain 
did, back before the lottery money, think he was getting a bargain, but 
for that hour it was generally dense with scenery, and he was so visual, 
a thing that women hold against men.  *They slap their husbands.  The 
guy is getting a kick out of a fathering fantasy, with some woman whom 
he knows is already taken, and most likely well loved by another man, 
maybe one who looks at other women too, but he comes home every day.  If 
it wasn't so absurd, I'd have to scream*.  Winter had felt like she 
needed to explore that, and had concluded that attractions were so much 
a hodge podge for most people.  *They must be.  Even seemingly 
unappealing people mate, and they look content.  I love that, and 
somehow both of them know that they should be walking ahead of me, 
letting me have this.   They both have pretty much unlimited access to 
my body, but both of them can also share my mind, at least in stages.  I 
have to portion it out carefully, more than I did today.  That matters*.

For an instant Winter thought, "Have I just handed my girlfriend off?" 
Then she realized how silly that was.  Ian wouldn't be capable of taking 
Ann, taking her away.  Ann was so hers.   Why shouldn't they like each 
other?  That made everything easier.  Besides, Ian doesn't take, and the 
things he said to Eric, they were true; it was never about fear. 
*People almost never kill for good reasons, and good people don't kill 
at all, except when given no alternative*.

When they saw the chimps, Ann's exuberance shone, "Look at them!  It's 
like recess."

Winter had caught up, and addressed Ian, "Great day, right?"

Ann was fascinated with the chimpanzees. "They're at recess."

Winter was still facing Ian.  Ann was out of earshot for her quiet 
words, "It's good that Ann is here, right?"

Ian said, "Sure."

Winter knew that it was more than that.  Ian didn't expect anything more 
than what he'd said he had.  She puzzled while they observed the 
exhibit.  *An older, widowed librarian, his longing for what could have 
been.  This is interesting*.

Ann was happy, perky happy.  She said, "I've seen chimps a few times, 
but I've never seen them like this.  It was always inside, and they 
looked like they were in a prison."  Winter walked directly, only two 
paces to Ann, and held Ann's face between her hands, "Sweetheart, this 
is about as free as any of them get to be, and that just about breaks my 
heart because they aren't objects.  They're all hairy, and they have 
weird butts, but...I just said butts and but; butts are funny.  They're 
just funny, like they need that."   Winter herself was the only one amused.

Ann was all about enjoying the chimps, and told Ian, "That one is you." 
It was a large male, and very obviously male.  "And that one is you, 
Winter.  See her?   She's so free, and climbing up that tree.  Now I 
have to pick one to be me."

Ann could slip into childlikeness so easily, and that made Winter happy. 
  She'd obviously hung on to herself through the medieval inquisitions 
of her post adolescence.  Even her steadfastness in faith was impressive.

Winter had quit using the words, "damned," and "God," unless she 
literally meant them when she realized that Ann was Christian, and 
really Christian.  Ann didn't go through the motions of dutifully going 
to church, and while the whole thing seemed foreign, Ann's faith seemed 
to improve her.  *I don't want a carbon copy of me*.

It seemed to Winter that Ian and Ann were really hitting it off.  They 
were both imitating the chimps, and a little boy was pointing at them 
while his mother smiled.  After they'd had their fill of the chimps, 
they moved on to the seals, and Ann read aloud a sign describing the 
differences between seals and sea lions.  When she finished, Winter told 
her, "Just wait until you see the sea lion show.  It's one of the best 
things ever, and you'll think that even more than I do."

Ann gave Winter a tiny hug that Ian interpreted as saying, "I love that 
you know that about me."

Ian had to inform them that the sea lion show was only in the summer, 
and Winter said, "Something to look forward to."

Ann looked at Winter and mouthed, "I love you."  She knew that Winter 
expected them to be together in the summer, and every summer after.

Winter answered aloud, "I love you too."  Ann gave her a look, then 
looked around at the other folks, seeing if any of them had caught the 
exchange, and Winter said, "We'll be out of the dorm in a few months 
anyway.  Besides, I tell people that I love them.  I grew up that way. 
There are so many varieties of love, Ann, and that word, with all its 
ambiguities, is my favorite.  I'm a word person, and that's my favorite 
word."  Not wanting Ian to feel ignored, all Winter could think to ask 
was, "Have you thought about lunch?"

Ian offered, "Burgers at my place?"

Winter thought for a moment, as if she were considering whether burgers 
sounded appealing, but her real hesitation was about taking Ann to the 
place where she went to have sex with another person.  It wasn't 
infidelity.  Ann never conveyed the slightest jealousy, and the Zoo was 
being fine, even after her crazy sex words rant.  "Sure."

As they headed for the car, it looked increasingly like it was going to 
rain, and as they hurried their paces, Ann agreed, "Sounds good to me 
too, and I'm really looking forward to seeing your dishwasher."

"Because you can't believe it exists?  asked Ian.

"No.  Because I want to see what happens inside the dishwasher."

"Oh, good grief," said Winter.

"That's what you get for falling in love with a physics major."

"You could at least have done me the courtesy of looking like a physics 
major.  Maybe a slide rule or a pocket protector, or glasses."

"Winter, my vision is fine, and they haven't used slide rules since, 
well, since Ian was a boy."  Then she asked, in a suspicious voice, "How 
do you even know about slide rules?"  They'd all been pretending to be 
serious, but the absurdity caught up with them.  "I guess I really 
should have been a boy."

"Oh no, I already have one of those, and the last thing I need is one 
more," and Winter gave Ian an affectionate shove.

When they got to the car, Winter chose the back seat, and Ann joined 
her.  Ian said, "I guess I'm driving, then."

Winter replied, "Obviously."

"If you two start necking back there, it's going to distract me."

Ann wasn't familiar with the word, "What's necking?"

"He means kissing.  Back in Ian's day, the boy would suck on the girl's 
neck, and leave what they called, 'a hickey.'  Girls liked it sometimes 
because it showed they'd gotten kissed, and they could show the 
evidence, like blood on marital bed sheets, but then they'd try to cover 
it up.  Mom told me about it, and Dad confirmed that they did that, but 
neither of them could explain why."

As they pulled out of the parking lot, Ian admitted that he'd given a 
few hickeys, and explained it away by saying, "It's just something we 
did; it was normal, or normative, or...don't make out in the back seat 
while I'm driving, OK?"

Ann said, "We promise."

On the short drive home, Ian barely paid any attention to the women, but 
made occasional comments about efficient navigation, the order of the 
stoplights, and other aspects of his driving that were mostly ignored. 
When they pulled up in front of the house, Ann said, "Nice place."  Ian 
popped out of the car quickly enough to offer Ann a hand, which she 
took, and said, "Thank you."  Winter made a split second decision not to 
wait for Ian to come around to the passenger side, or get out herself, 
but elected to take the middle path, and scooted across the seat to the 
proffered hand.   It was always funny when he pretended to be old 
fashioned in this way.  He wasn't.  It was partly that it was quirky and 
funny, but she knew that it was also because he liked touching female 
hands.










-- 
--Bryan https://www.instagram.com/bryangsimmons/

For your safety and protection, this sig. has been thoroughly
tested on laboratory animals.

"Most of the food described here is nauseating.
We're just too courteous to say so."
-- Cindy Hamilton