The early winter sun was just rising and its dim efforts put a warm, golden glow on the surrounding snow-covered woods and hillside. At just barely sunrise on a Sunday morning, they were the only two people braving the cold and ice. The glow spun and looped as James did the same, carried down a steep hard-packed slope at the what he swore were speeds higher than his car ever achieved on the road. Seated on one side of a double inner tube, he bounced and slid, spinning and flopping along, leather-gloved hands clinging to what felt like too flimsy, rubber handles on either side of the giant tube. The other side of the tube was amazing steady, its high lip and deep hole filled to overflowing and weighed down with Bram's massive bulk. The tall, broad, beefy man wore a dazzling grin and his pale blue eyes matched the blue threads in his Norwegian print wool sweater that was stretched over his broad, barrel chest. His cheeks were a cheery red from the wind, and his honey blond hair was tousled over his forehead, creating the perfect canvas to highlight James' favorite feature on his lover, Bram's charming and oh-so-seductive lopsided smile.
