SOS the Rope by Piers Anthony Page B

His hand and the filtered light still reflecting in from the snow told him quickly that she wore nothing underneath. No wonder she had been cold!
        "It would not look very nice, a naked man struggling in his tent with a naked woman," she said.
        "It happens all the time."
        "Not when she objects."
        "In my tent? They would ask why she came naked to it, and did not scream before entering."
        "She came dressed, to inquire about a difficult problem. An error in fractions." She fumbled in the pocket and drew out a pad with figures scrawled upon it-he could not see them, but was sure she bad done her homework in this respect. Even to the error, one worthy of his attention. "He drew her inside-no, tricked her there-then tore off her clothing."
        He had fallen rather neatly into her trap after all. She was too well versed. His usefulness to the group would be over, if the alarm were given now. "What do you want?"
        "I want to get warm. There is room in your bag for two."
        "This will gain you nothing. Are you trying to drive me out?"
        "No." She found the zipper and opened the bag, letting the cold air in. In a moment she was lying against him, bare and warm, her parka outside and the zipper refastened.
        "Sleep, then." He tried to turn away from her, but the movement only brought them closer together.
        She attempted to bring his head over to hers, catching at his hair with one hand, but he was rigid. "Oh, Sos, I did not come to torment you!"
        He refused to answer that.
        She lay still for a little while, and the burning muliebrity of her laid siege to his resistance. Everything he desired, so close. Available-in the name of dishonor.
        Why did she choose this way? She had only to put aside Sol's emblem for a little while...
        Another figure detached itself from the shadow of the main tent and trod through the packed snow. Sos could see it, though his eyes were closed, for be recognized the tread. Tor.
        "You have your wish. Tor is coming."
        Then her bluff stood exposed, for she shrank into the bag and tired to hide. "Send him away!" she whispered.
        Sos grabbed the parka and tossed it to the foot of the tent. He drew the lip of the bag over her head, hoping the closure wouldn't suffocate her. He waited.
        Tor's feet came up to the tent and stopped. No word was spoken. Then Tor wheeled and departed, evidently deciding that the dark, closed tent meant that his friend was already asleep.
        Sola's head emerged when it was safe. "You do want me," she said. "You could have embarrassed me.. .
        "Certainly I want you. Remove his bracelet and take mine, if you want the proof."
        "Do you remember when we lay against each other before?" she murmured, this time evading the direct refusal.
        "'Greensleeves.'"
        "And 'Red River Valley.' And you asked me what I wanted in a man, and I told you leadership."
        "You made your choice." He heard the bitterness in his tone.
        "But I did not know then what he wanted." She shifted position, placing her free arm under his and around his back and Sos was unable to control the heat of his reaction and knew she knew it.
        "You are the leader of this camp," she said. "Everybody knows it, even Tyl. Even Sol. He knew it first of all."
        "If you believe that, why do you keep his bracelet?"
        "Because I am not a selfish woman!" she flared, amazing him. "He gave me his name when he didn't want to, and I must give him something in return, even if I don't want to. I can't leave him until we are even."
        "I don't understand."
        It was her turn for bitterness. "You understand!"
        "You have a strange system of accounting."
        "It is his system, not mine. It doesn't fit into your numbers."
        "Why not pick on some other man for your purpose?"
        "Because he trusts you-and I love