As an erotic fiction writer, I am constantly searching for places that break the mold and rekindle the senses. One scene that has always fascinated me is the famous masturbation scene in Pierre Louÿs’ Bilitis – high up in a tree, where the protagonist indulges in pleasure, surrounded by nature and a quiet, vibrant tension. This idea has inspired artists such as David Hamilton, Claude Debussy and Arthur H., and it also appeals to me: How do you describe sex in a tree – whether alone or with a partner – in a way that is credible, sensual and alive? How do I let all five senses flourish? And what does the danger of being discovered do to the erotic? Here is an attempt to explore these questions in two scenes.
Scene 1: The woman alone in the tree
Imagine a woman in her early twenties, with long, chestnut-brown hair falling in soft waves over her shoulders. Her skin is tanned from the sun, her legs muscular from hiking. She is wearing a light, cream-colored dress that catches on the rough bark of an old olive tree as she climbs. The tree stands at the edge of a hill, its branches wide and gnarled, its leaves shimmering silver-green in the afternoon light. She has visited this place many times before, but today she is driven by a different desire.
She finds a fork in the branch that is shaped like a natural bench, wide enough for her to sit down, her legs slightly apart. The wind blows through the leaves, a soft rustling that mixes with her breath. She leans back, feeling the rough bark through the thin fabric on her back, a scratchy, almost living feeling. Her hands glide over her thighs, pushing up the hem of her dress until the warm air caresses her labia – soft, swollen, already moist from the rising excitement. She closes her eyes and listens: the chirping of a distant bird, the buzzing of a bee, the distant murmur of a stream. The scent of dry earth and olive leaves fills her nostrils, tart and heavy.
Her fingers find her clitoris, small and sensitive, and begin to massage it in gentle circles. The sensation is intense, almost sharp, and she bites her lower lip, tasting the salt of her own skin. Her body tenses, the muscles in her legs twitch slightly as she surrenders to the rhythm. The height intensifies everything – the rocking of the branch below her, the feeling of being at the mercy of gravity. Suddenly a twig cracks somewhere below her, and her heart beats faster. Is someone there? She pauses, her hand still between her thighs, and peers through the leaves. Nothing. But the idea that someone could see her – a hiker, a shepherd – makes her arousal explode. She comes with a low, throaty moan that fades away in the treetops.
Scene 2: Two lovers in the tree
Now imagine a couple: he is slim, with broad shoulders and hands rough from working outdoors. His hair is dark, slightly disheveled, his eyes sparkle with curiosity. She is smaller, with ample hips and breasts that show under a tight shirt. Her skin is pale, her lips full and red. They had spotted the tree – a mighty oak with thick, wide-spreading branches – during a walk and spontaneously decided to climb it. Now they are standing on a broad branch, about four meters above the ground, the leaves a green roof above them.
He pulls her close, his hands around her bottom, firm and round under her trousers. She feels his penis, hard and warm, through the fabric of his jeans as he presses against her. The branch sways slightly, and they laugh nervously, clinging to each other. The smell of moss and wood rises, mixing with the salty scent of their skin. She kisses him, her tongue gliding over his lips, tasting the hint of mint and sweat. He unbuttons her trousers and slides them down her legs, revealing her labia – pink, shiny, ready. His fingers explore her, parting the moist warmth, while she reaches for his belt and unlaces it. His penis springs free, the glans dark and taut, a glistening drop at the tip.
They find a position: she leans against the trunk, one leg wrapped around his hip, while he enters her. The bark presses against her back, a rough contrast to the soft, rhythmic movement of his hips. The creaking of the tree accompanies their breathing, rapid and uneven. Her breasts bounce with each thrust, her nipples hard under the shirt. He holds her gaze, his pupils dilated, a silent dialogue of lust and risk. Something rustles below – footsteps? Voices? They freeze briefly, his penis still deep inside her, her vagina pulsating around him. The danger of being discovered drives them on; she whispers to him not to stop. They climax simultaneously, a tremor that runs through their bodies and seems to shake the tree itself.
The senses and the danger
Sex in a tree is a dance with nature and one’s own vulnerability. The sense of touch becomes the main stage: the rough bark, the soft leaves, the warmth of the skin. Smells – earth, wood, sweat – merge with the taste of lips and body fluids. Sounds, from the wind to the crack of a twig, keep the lovers in a constant state of suspense between devotion and alertness. Seeing plays with light and shadow, with furtive glances down. And the danger? It is the invisible third in the game – a tingling in the neck that sharpens the desire without stifling it.
A tree as a love nest requires courage and imagination, both from the characters and from us authors. It’s not a comfortable place, but that’s what makes it so appealing: the raw, unpolished connection between body and nature, spiced with a hint of the forbidden. Give it a try – climb up in your mind and let your senses do the talking.