Natural Passion (Au Naturel Trilogy Book 1)

by Anna Durand

And I hadn't slept with a man in almost a year.

  Val winked at me, still smiling.

  Oh yeah. Big, big trouble.

  Chapter Two

  Val

  I trailed Eve into the house, letting myself enjoy the view of her luscious ass cupped by the shorts that barely covered her bottom. The woman had a body any man would worship, even the ones who preferred other men. Her curves were a work of art, and the freckles on her lightly tanned skin hinted at creamy coloring under the surface. I wanted to lay her down in the grass and crawl up her body, exploring every inch of her with my tongue and lips.

  We would be naked, of course. I was a nudist after all.

  But she wasn't. Eve owned a nudist resort but kept her clothes on. Somehow, that made me want her even more. Fantasizing about what treasures she hid under those shorts and that tank top could keep me entertained for days.

  Eve led me through a large kitchen, waving an arm to indicate it. "This is where I make the food for all my guests, but meals are served in the guest house. While you're staying here with me, you can grab a snack or a pop from the fridge anytime you like."

  "Will I take my meals in the guest house or here with you?" Please say with you.

  Eve paused on the threshold of a hallway, whipping her head around to look at me. The long locks of her strawberry-blonde hair bounced around her shoulders. Her bright-blue eyes widened briefly, and she caught one side of her bottom lip with her teeth. "I guess that's up to you. I eat here."

  "I'll have my meals with you, then." I couldn't stop staring at her lips, full and pouty, and the way she was biting down on her lower lip. What would she taste like? The flavor of her mouth would be different from the flavor of her cream, and I wanted to sample all of it. All of her.

  She sucked in a deep breath, her breasts lifting, and exhaled it in a rush. "Moving on…"

  Already, I was deeply in lust with those breasts. Not too small, not too large, just right for holding in my palms while I suckled the tips.

  My fantasies about her breasts ended when she spun away from me and started down the hallway. I counted four closed doors.

  Eve pointed at the first door on the left. "That's the bathroom. We'll have to share." She twisted her head around to give me a sheepish smile. "Hope you don't mind girlie things. The bathroom is pastel-colored and full of my stuff."

  "Doesn't bother me." My mind went straight to a fantasy of me shaving her legs in the shower. "I have two sisters, and they left their things everywhere in our house when we were children. I know more about feminine hygiene than most men would want to."

  "I bet. Over there is my photo studio," she said, pointing to the door opposite the bathroom. "My bedroom is at the end of the hall on the right. You might have noticed the other doorway leading out of the kitchen. That's the living room, where you can relax and watch TV if you want." She walked up to the next closed door on the left, turned toward me, and pushed the door open. "Here's where you'll be staying."

  "Directly across from your bedroom."

  "Both bedrooms have locks on the doors, if you want to ensure privacy."

  "Hardly seems necessary." I set down my bag and leaned against the jamb of the open door, probably standing closer to her than was necessary or appropriate. Fuck appropriate. The sweet, fresh scent of her enveloped me, and I wouldn't give that up one second sooner than I had to. "Thank you for sharing your home with me, Eve."

  "No problem."

  I tipped my head to the side, studying her. "May I ask a personal question?"

  "Sure."

  "Why does a woman who's not a nudist own a nudist retreat?"

  "For the money." She hunched her shoulders. "I know that sounds crass, but it's true. I make a decent living catering to the clothing-optional set."

  "That's not crass. It's smart." My attention stalled on her breasts and the faint lines of the bra that held them up in perfect position. I would get her naked as soon as possible. I had to. My cock insisted on it, and I'd never had much luck fighting my carnal urges.

  Eve glanced into the bedroom. "Oh, I forgot your welcome packet."

  While she sprinted down the hallway to the kitchen, I carried my bag into the little room and set it on the floor beside the bed. The mattress was a decent size, large enough for me—and for Eve too, if she should join me. A dresser with a large attached mirror was pushed up against the wall, and a pair of accordion doors probably concealed a small closet. A telephone, cordless and seated in its charging base, sat on a little round table tucked into one corner while an old-fashioned clock with large hands counted the hours, minutes, and seconds.

  A window overlooked the lawn where the miniten net was still set up.

  The distinctive clapping of sneaker-clad feet on the wood floors drew my attention to the doorway.

  Eve, breathless and smiling, clutched a large basket in her arms. It was full of items I couldn't quite make out, thanks to the large, blue-satin bow tied to the handle with its long ribbons hanging over the entire basket.

  She marched to the little table, set down the basket, and plucked a manila envelope from inside it. She waved the envelope at me. "Here's your welcome packet."

  I strode up to her and accepted the envelope.

  "You've got a map of the property," she said, "with all the attractions noted, along with brochures for things you can do away from the resort in the local area. You'll need to wear clothes if you go off site." She pried open the metal tabs that held the envelope shut. "There are also coupons for local restaurants. The national forest borders my property on three sides, but there's no fee to hike on that land."

  She pulled the envelope's flap out, seemingly to encourage me to examine its contents. Her expectant look confirmed my assumption.

  I slid the contents out and flipped through them. "You are thorough, aren't you?"

  "Yep." She stepped back and gestured toward the basket. "This is your welcome kit with samples of everything you might need."

  I leaned in to examine the items. "Sunscreen. Lip balm. Foot moisturizer. Body lotion. Aloe. Insect repellent. Calamine lotion." I glanced at her, my brows raised. "Are you expecting insects to be a problem?"

  "Not usually, but twice we've had an invasion of no-see-ums." She feigned disgust. "It's not pretty. Then there was the year we had an outbreak of poison ivy." She tapped the pink bottle of calamine lotion. "You may never need this, but trust me, if you do, you'll be glad you have it."

  "You take good care of your guests." I considered what she'd said a moment ago. "No-see-ums?"

  "Teeny-tiny bugs that will eat you alive and you may never even see them. They're also called midges." She faked an exaggerated shiver. "The no-see-um attacks were like something out of a horror movie. You need super-strong insect repellent for that. It might melt your tattoos, but at least you won't get bitten up."

  One corner of her mouth twitched upward, and I knew she was teasing me. I liked that. "My tattoos are made from molten steel. I think they'll survive your insects."

  She waggled her eyebrows. "You haven't seen the mosquitoes yet."

  I grinned. She was the most adorable, sexiest woman I'd ever met.

  Eve leaned her bottom against the table. "Here are the rules. No staring at women's breasts or anyone's private parts. Maintain eye contact. You're welcome to wear clothes anytime you want since this is a clothes-optional resort rather than a clothes-free one. Footwear is fine, but do not walk around in your underwear."

  "I never bother with underwear."

  "Okay." Her brows crinkled, but if I'd shocked her, she shook it off quickly. Clearing her throat, she continued. "Always shower before using the sauna or the hot spring. Always put a towel on a chair or other surface before sitting down on it. No PDAs—public displays of affection—other than a quick hug to say hello or a quick peck on the cheek. Hand holding is acceptable. Oh, no barn doors open when you're sitting or lying down in the presence of other guests."

 
"Barn doors?"

  "It means don't have your legs spread so everyone can see your privates."

  "Ah, I see. You don't need to go through all of this. It's not my first time at a nudist resort."

  She folded her arms over her chest. "Everyone hears the rules the first time they come here. It's protocol."

  "All right. I'm listening."

  "No reaching during meals. If you need something, ask someone to pass it to you." She waved a finger toward my groin. "Make sure none of your bits intrude on anyone else's space. And if you absolutely must relieve yourself outdoors, whether it's number one or number two, please find a secluded spot where you can take care of things. No photography without express permission from the people involved. Do you have a cell phone?"

  "Yes."

  She dug a small, folded sheet of paper out of the basket, handing it to me. "Put a red dot over the camera lens, please. If your phone has more than one camera, please put stickers over all of them."

  I obeyed, applying red stickers to the tiny lenses on the front and back of my phone.

  Eve nodded her approval. She started to push away from the table but stopped. "One more thing. Men tend to get embarrassed when I bring this up, but it's necessary. If you get an erection when you're outside of this house, please put a towel over your lap or roll over onto your side. If you're in the hot spring or the lake, you can just stay put until the problem subsides."

  She watched me like she expected me to blush or get upset.

  Most men probably would have, but no one who knew me, or knew of me, would think I'd ever get embarrassed about something like developing a hard-on in public.

  I chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm shameless."

  "No need to pretend you're cool with it. I'm used to my male guests getting flustered when that happens."

  I studied her expression for some sign she was teasing me again but found none. "You really don't recognize me, do you?"

  She raked her gaze over my body. "If we'd met before, I'd remember."

  Eve Holt had no idea who I was. Her attentiveness and attraction to me had nothing to do with my reputation or my past behavior. It was…refreshing.

  "You're good to go," she said. Her gaze flicked to the clock on the wall. "I need to finish getting lunch ready. Once you're settled in, come find me in the kitchen."

  "Thank you, Eve."

  "I'm just doing my job." She moved toward the door, hesitating on the threshold. "If there's anything else you need, just ask."

  "Don't trouble yourself on my account."

  "It's no trouble. I'll let you get settled."

  She disappeared down the hallway.

  I shed my clothes and shoes, then headed into the kitchen.

  Eve stood at the island placing food items into plastic trays and closing up each tray with a red plastic lid. She glanced up when I walked into the room.

  Her eyes flared wide. She stared at me for a moment before blinking furiously like she was waking from a strange dream. Her cheeks pinkened. She bowed her head to focus on her task. "I see you've made yourself comfortable."

  "Are you carrying all that food to the guest house by yourself?"

  "My handyman, Quentin, will be here any minute to help."

  I approached the island across from her. "I would be happy to help too."

  "That's not necessary. You're a guest." She kept her head down but lifted her gaze to me. "Besides, handling food in the nude is a health code violation."

  "How many guests do you have?"

  "The number varies." She slapped the lid onto a tray and laid her hands on top of it, swiveling her gaze up to me. "The guest house has ten rooms with two queen beds in each. Some people bring tents to sleep out, and others come in RVs and sleep in those. Currently, I have seventeen guests, including you."

  "And you manage all of this on your own. Just you and a handyman."

  "Well, I do outsource dinner. Tonight, it's pizza delivered from a restaurant in town, with salad for the vegans."

  I arched a brow. "Town is eighteen miles away. I didn't realize anyone delivered that far out."

  "Normally, they don't. I have special arrangements."

  She stacked four trays and lifted them in her arms.

  I rushed around the island, intending to take them from her. "Let me help."

  "You're a guest, and you're naked."

  "I'm also not the sort of man who lets a woman do all the work alone. My sisters would whip me for not lending a hand." I turned halfway toward the hall. "Let me put some clothes on, and I'll help you. Please, I insist."

  She set down the trays and raised her hands. "I surrender. Knock yourself out."

  I sprinted back to my room and yanked on an outfit that seemed more appropriate for serving lunch than my designer clothes—a T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. When I got back to the kitchen, Eve was waiting with her elbows braced on the island. She moved to pick up those four trays again, but I hurried over to take them from her.

  A knock vibrated the door as a male voice hollered, "It's me, Eve."

  "Come on in," she said.

  The door swung open. A well-tanned man in jeans and a T-shirt, with clunky boots on his feet, pushed a metal cart into the kitchen. He dragged another metal cart behind him, and I could see a third parked a few feet outside the door.

  "Sorry I took so long," the man said. Deep wrinkles carved lines into his face when he squinted at my hostess in what seemed like a strained attempt at a smile. "We better hurry, Eve. The natives are getting restless and might start gnawing on each other if we don't get them their food pronto."

  The man looked at me, his squint deepening. "Guess you've got help already."

  Eve cleared her throat. "Quentin, this is our newest guest, Val Silva. Val, this is my handyman extraordinaire, Quentin Smith."

  Quentin offered me his hand, realized I couldn't take it with the trays in my arms, and pushed his cart toward me. "You can set those down here."

  I deposited the trays on the cart and offered him my hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Smith."

  "Just Quentin." He shook my hand, eying me up and down. One corner of his mouth twisted downward, then smoothed out. "Welcome to Au Naturel Naturist Resort."

  "Hungry people are waiting," Eve said, stacking four more trays on the counter.

  When she tried to pick them up, Quentin and I reached for them at the same time.

  I yanked them out of Eve's hands and slid them onto the cart's lower shelf.

  Quentin's mouth tightened.

  "No fighting, boys," Eve said. "There's plenty of work to go around."

  Her handyman pursed his lips, his gaze narrowing on me.

  Did he have a special fondness for my hostess? If he did, he'd have to take a step back. For the next two weeks, I planned to be the one monopolizing her attention and seducing her into sharing my bed.

  Chapter Three

  Eve

  For the next fifteen minutes, Quentin and Val competed in a bizarre race to ferry their carts across the fifty-foot gap between my home and the guest house and get their trays into the dining hall and unloaded. I pushed the third cart but gave up on keeping up with the men. Val seemed to think their little race was funny, but Quentin was not amused. I supposed he'd gotten used to being my one and only assistant. It probably didn't help that we'd slept together last summer.

  Oh yeah, that had been a mistake. Ever since, Quentin had developed an odd possessiveness toward me. The sex had been decent, but not worth this aggravation.

  When we'd gotten all the food offloaded in the dining hall and placed on the buffet tables, I encouraged Quentin to stay there and get himself some food before the teeming horde of hungry nudists descended on the buffet. He got the hint and took it.

  Back in my kitchen, Val helped me put the last of the trays onto a cart.

  "Let me take the last cart," I said. "You'll want to get out of your clothes, I'm sure."

 
He opened his mouth, and by the look on his face, I knew he wanted to protest.

  "Go on," I said. "I insist. This is a nudist resort, after all. You came here to enjoy yourself sans clothing. And I can manage to push one cart."

  Val stared at me for a few seconds, then he whipped off his clothes. Stretching his entire body, he let out a long, satisfied sigh. "Much better."

  I leaned against the island admiring the view. Damn, that man had a killer body—decorated with just enough tattoos to give him that bad boy look. I'd hosted plenty of athletic male guests, but Val made them all seem like couch potatoes with beer bellies. He was lean but well-muscled, with washboard abs and strong thighs. I let my gaze travel down his body, starting with his face, moving down to the corded muscles of his shoulders and arms and along the center line of his torso. His skin was smooth with only the barest hint of dark hairs. Near his hips, those hairs grew thicker and longer, tapering down to the most beautiful set of manly parts I'd ever seen.

  Oh yeah, he was well-muscled and well-endowed. Spectacularly well-endowed.

  His penis hung slack and soft but proved no less impressive for its lack of arousal. Veins rippled along its length, though the skin looked smooth otherwise. I imagined taking his thick girth in my hand, exploring his flesh, fondling his sac.

  No more sex with guests, remember?

  Val cleared his throat deliberately.

  I tore my gaze away from his dick and intended to look him in the eye, but his impressive pecs and biceps distracted me. "Are you ready to go?"

  "Yes, I'm ready."

  He infused those words with enough innuendo that even a nun who lived in a remote Himalayan convent would've understood his meaning.

  I couldn't resist glancing at his cock one last time.

  "Let's go, then," I said, rolling the cart toward the door. "Can't let all those naked people starve."

  He pulled the door open for me and smirked. "I'll be hungry even after lunch is served."

  Once I'd wheeled the cart across the threshold, Val nudged me out of the way. "I don't think my nudity will contaminate the food when it's inside covered trays. Let me at least push the cart to the guest house door for you."