by Anna Durand
Ollie snickered. "Every dude who's not married or on social security. Then again, maybe Sly does secretly want to get up in Evie's shorts."
"Does everyone call her Evie?"
"No, man, only special peeps." He hooked a thumb toward Ruth and Sylvester. "Me and the old farts have been coming here for years."
I didn't normally ask strangers personal questions, but Ollie seemed comfortable with me, and my curiosity prodded me to ask. "Have you and Eve…"
"Done the deed? No, dude, we're just friends."
"Are you gay? It doesn't matter to me, but I wondered, since you said every straight man who comes here wants her."
"Not me. I like girls, but not older women."
"How old are you?"
Ollie shoved half of a little cake into his mouth and chewed it up before answering. "I'm twenty-four. Been coming here since I was twenty." He gave me a knowing smile. "Eve's thirty, since you're dying to know."
Maybe I was dying to know everything about her, and maybe that contradicted the idea of a fling. My curiosity didn't care about that. It pushed me to find out more but asking Ollie to tell me those things was not the way to go. I wanted in her shorts as much as anyone, but I didn't need to know all about her unless she chose to tell me.
After the nature hike, the group split up and spread out. Some went inside to play board games while others opted for sunbathing. Ollie offered to help Quentin with the repairs to the water-damaged room. Despite his every attempt to talk the boy out of it, Quentin wound up letting Ollie be his assistant. I didn't want to think about what disasters might befall a nudist who engaged in home repairs.
I participated in one game of hearts before I abandoned the card table to find Eve.
The door to her office on the second floor hung open. She was concentrating on her computer screen, one hand poised over the mouse.
Pausing in the doorway, I drank in the sight of her shapely legs and those lush breasts I longed to taste.
She noticed me and smiled. "Come on in."
I sat down in the chair beside her desk, resting an arm on the desktop.
"Bored with hearts?" she asked, her gaze returning to the screen.
"Card games have never appealed to me."
"Mm-hmm," she said absently as she moved her mouse around and clicked it twice.
"Take a break, Eve. Come to the hot spring with me."
"I don't swim with guests." She moved and clicked the mouse, moved and clicked, moved and clicked. Her eyes darted but stayed focused on the screen. "Maybe Ollie will go with you."
"He's entertaining, but I'd rather spend time with you."
"Too busy." She typed on her keyboard, her fingers clacking the keys in rapid motions. "Maybe later."
She was paying minimal attention to me, and that had to change.
I propped my ankle on my knee. "May I call you Evie?"
"Uh-huh."
"All right, Evie. I wanted to fuck you in the hot spring, but since you won't stop working, this desk will do."
She froze. Though her head did not move, her eyes swiveled toward me. "What did you say?"
"I want to fuck you, linda. Right now."
Chapter Five
Eve
"That's what I thought you said." I slumped back in my chair, considering the man who'd announced in a matter-of-fact tone that he wanted to fuck me on my desk. "You weren't kidding about being shameless. And you seem to have confused me with someone else because my name is Eve, not Linda."
"Linda means beautiful in Portuguese. You are beautiful, Eve, and we need to fuck."
"Sorry, but I don't sleep with guests anymore. It's way too complicated."
"Because two men once fought over you."
"Who told you about that? It must've been Ollie or Ruth." I shook my head, trying to frown but not pulling it off. I couldn't really be mad at them. They meddled out of love. "I knew I should've had them sign a nondisclosure agreement."
"Ruth thinks we're a cute couple." He held up a hand the second I opened my mouth to speak. "Not that I agree with her. I'm not interested in a relationship, and if we have sex, I won't get into a fist fight over you."
"That incident was the last straw, yes, but I'd already started to think getting involved with guests was a bad idea, business-wise."
He rested his arm on the corner of my desk. "I've been told you don't date either."
"Who said that?"
"Your guests."
Ruth and Ollie, no doubt, blabbing again about my personal life. I appreciated their concern for my happiness, but it was misplaced.
"Were they mistaken?" Val asked.
"No, but not dating isn't a conscious choice. I live way out here and always have guests to take care of, even in the winter. Hunting for men isn't a priority." I picked up a pen and braced it between the index fingers of both hands, my elbows on my chair's arms. "I tried online dating, but men are such cowards these days. They only wanted to talk to me through what they saw as anonymous messages on the dating sites."
"What about the town near here?"
"I go into town to buy supplies, not troll for dates." I toyed with the pen, lifting one end and then the other repeatedly. "Besides, guys who aren't perverts or losers are like Bigfoot. Even if they exist, you're never going to catch one."
Val drummed his fingers on the desk, studying me with a curious expression. "Relax, Eve. I don't want to date you."
"You want sex. Yeah, I caught your drift earlier." I tossed the pen onto the desk. "Why did you say you're infamous?"
"Because it's true. Haven't you looked me up online yet?"
"I don't invade the privacy of my guests."
"Anything that's online isn't private."
"Most of it should be. The world really doesn't need to know what everyone ate for lunch today, with close-up pictures of the food."
"True." He studied me again, studied my face. "A young, beautiful woman like you should have a lover."
"And you're volunteering for that job? Thanks, but I'm good the way I am." I rocked my chair, clasping my hands over my belly. "I'm not that young anymore."
"You're thirty. Ollie told me. That is young."
"So you've been quizzing my guests about me, eh?" I smirked. "In that case, how old are you?"
"Thirty-seven." He leaned forward. "I know you want me, I can see it when you look at me. I want you too, and there's no reason why we shouldn't act on our mutual desire."
"I've known you for a few hours."
He shrugged one shoulder. "You know what I look like naked. What more information do you need?"
"Maybe we won't even like having sex with each other."
Val chuckled. "I've never had a complaint."
Yeah, I had no trouble believing that. His body seemed to have been designed by Aphrodite herself to be the perfect sex machine.
Still, I shook my head. "I don't sleep with guests."
"But you do sleep with your employees."
"What? Why would you think that?"
"It's obvious from Quentin's jealousy and the way he glares at me."
I was pretty sure my entire face scrunched up for half a second. "Okay, yeah, I did sleep with him last year. It was a mistake."
"Do you mind if I ask why you did it? Was it one time or an ongoing affair?"
"Nosy, aren't you?" I grabbed the polished rock that served as a paperweight on my desk and rolled it in my hand. What the hell. I might as well tell him. "It was once. I'd had one too many margaritas on Mexican Monday."
"Was he drunk too?"
"I wasn't drunk. A little tipsy, that's all." I wrapped my fist around the paperweight. "But no, he didn't drink that night."
A muscle ticked in Val's jaw. He hissed a breath out his nostrils. "He took advantage of you."
"No, I make my own decisions."
"You'd been drinking. He hadn't. The bastard should never have seduced you." Val's lips compress
ed into a line. "I hate men who take advantage of women."
"Chill out. It wasn't like that." When his lips flattened again, I added, "I take responsibility for all my decisions, good and bad. If it doesn't bother me, it shouldn't bother you either. And for all you know, I'm a slut who throws herself at every man she meets."
His mouth relaxed, and his jaw stopped ticking. "All right, it's none of my business. I'm sorry for getting upset about it. Growing up with sisters has made me overly protective of women in general."
"That's not a bad thing. It's sweet."
He ran a hand through his hair, leaning back in his chair. "Let's talk about something fun, like when you're going to strip for me."
A poorly stifled laugh snorted out of me. "Whoa there, cowboy. I don't sleep with guests, remember?"
"I'll be the exception."
He rose from the chair with panther-like grace, unfurling his nude body with a languor that I felt sure was purposeful. He wanted me to get a spectacular view of every inch of his skin, from those tattoos all the way down to his impressive dick, and farther down to his powerful thighs. The man had a mouthwatering body, for sure. And no shortage of confidence either.
Everything about him was sexy as hell.
Maybe I should break my rule this one time. With him. In my bed. For hours and hours and hours.
Slickness blossomed between my thighs.
He moved closer, placed one hand on the arm of my chair, and bent to aim those heated brown eyes straight into mine. His breaths tickled my skin. "I don't want to date you. I won't be jealous when we say goodbye and you find someone else to warm your bed. Relationships aren't in my wheelhouse. But I'm staying for two weeks, and I'd love to enjoy you while I'm here."
"Sounds like you don't care if I enjoy you."
"That's a given." He licked his lips. "You want to touch me, don't you?" With his free hand, he picked up one of mine and guided it to within inches of his cock. "I want you to do it."
He let go of my hand, leaving the decision up to me.
I closed my fingers around his cock. It was hot and firm, thickening in my hand.
Val took a slow, deep breath, his eyes going hooded. "Te quero, Eve, and when I'm inside you, I guarantee you won't be thinking about anyone or anything else. You won't be thinking at all." He covered my hand with his, pressing my skin more firmly to his erection. "In case you had any doubts, te quero means I want you."
He let go of my hand.
I held his cock for a moment longer, reluctant to give up the feel of his inflamed flesh. We stared into each other's eyes, my breaths growing heavier while desire tingled through my sex and tightened my breasts. When I finally withdrew my hand, I couldn't help myself. I thrust that hand into his hair and tugged him in for a kiss.
Our lips touched, gently at first, then with more and more pressure until our mouths were fused. I opened for him, and he plunged his tongue inside my mouth, sliding it over mine, teasing the roof of my mouth, consuming me while I consumed him, the flavor of his mouth electrifying me while the warmth of his lips seemed to blossom outward into my whole body. He tasted so good, like exotic things I couldn't describe but that I longed to savor for the rest of eternity. The delicious warmth engendered by our lip-lock suffused every part of me and penetrated deep into the core of my sex. God, the man could kiss. I clenched my fingers in his hair, loving the silky texture of those wavy locks. He plowed deeper, coiling his tongue around mine, and groaned with intense pleasure.
Despite the fact I was sitting down, my knees got weak. My ears rang, and I realized I'd stopped breathing.
Someone knocked on the door.
Val jerked away from me, still bent over my chair, and glanced over his shoulder at the open doorway.
Quentin, his fist on the jamb, scowled at Val before looking at me. "Need to talk to you about the repairs in the damaged room."
He spoke through clenched teeth.
I wondered how long Quentin had been standing there, how long he'd watched me and Val together. The door had been open, but both Val and I had our eyes closed until Quentin knocked. Would he have spied on us? Yesterday, I would've said no without hesitation. Today, after witnessing Quentin's jealousy, I wasn't so sure. I didn't want to believe it.
No, he wouldn't do that.
Val straightened but did not turn toward my handyman, probably because his dick was at half-staff.
Pushing my chair back, I got up. To Quentin, I said, "I'll meet you in the room in a minute."
Quentin's lips twisted into an annoyed slant, but he stalked off down the hall.
I smoothed my shirt, like it mattered if my tank top got wrinkled. "I don't sleep with guests, Val. That's my final word on the matter."
I moved to the door but paused on the threshold when he spoke.
"You say that now," he said, "but a second ago you would've let me do anything to you. If your handyman hadn't interrupted us, I'd be fucking you on your desk."
He was right, but I wouldn't tell him that.
Instead, I walked out of the room.
My phone chimed, indicating a new text message, while I was trudging down the stairs to the first floor. Sheesh, I needed to install an elevator. Going up and down the stairs multiple times per day got exhausting. I stopped halfway down the stairs and dug my phone out of my pocket to check the new text. It was from my mother.
You OK? she asked.
I typed my response: Yes. Why?
No call last week.
Busy, not dead.
Not like you to stop calling.
I really had been busy, even before the pipe burst in the guest house. Doing everything myself, except for the handyman work, required a lot of time. I typed on my phone's screen. I'm fine, gotta go, will call later.
Maybe we need to come for a visit, Mom replied, to check on you.
Oh no, absolutely nooooooo way. Sure, my family knew I owned a nudist resort and had no problem with that. But the last thing I needed was my parents meeting Val and seeing how much I lusted after him. I was sure I failed miserably at hiding it. I cherished my privacy, and unlike Val, I wasn't shameless.
Part of me envied his total disregard for what others thought of him.
No visit necessary, I typed to my mom. All fine, talk to you soon.
Mom at last said goodbye, and I stuffed the phone in my pocket.
I glanced up the stairs, but I couldn't see Val or the door to my office.
That kiss. His lips on mine had sparked something deep inside me, a kind of hunger I'd never known with any other man. I craved him. When he'd announced he wanted to fuck me, I'd gone instantly wet.
My original assessment had been right. That man was sexy, flirty, down-and-dirty trouble.
Stay away, Eve, keep your hands and mouth off him. I could do that. No problem.
As I trudged down the stairs, my mind replayed the sensations of our kiss.
Not sleeping with him. No way.
Who was I trying to convince?
Chapter Six
Val
Eve had disappeared by the time I walked out of her office. I'd needed a few minutes to recover from our kiss, from the lust that had gripped me when our lips met and I tasted her mouth for the first time. Her lips were soft and flavored with a hint of peppermint, but her lip balm hadn't been the taste that left me halfway to hard and craving more of her. Eve's natural flavor intoxicated me.
When I was finally suitable for public viewing, I ambled outside and glanced at the lawn. The miniten net had been removed. Several guests were laying out yoga mats on the mowed grass while Ollie took up a position in front of the group as if he planned to lead the session.
He spotted me and waved. "Come join us, Val. You do yoga, don't you?"
"Yes, and I'd love to join in."
Maybe a good session of downward dogs would distract me from thoughts of Eve's lips and her luscious body. I loved fantasizing about her, but getting a hard-
on wasn't conducive to socializing with the other guests.
"I don't have a mat," I shouted to Ollie.
"No problem. You can get one in the exercise room. We'll wait for you."
Nodding, I trotted back into the guest house and down the hall to the exercise room I'd spotted earlier. Yoga mats, rolled up and sealed with shrink wrap, were stacked inside a large wooden box. A sign on the box said, "New yoga mats. Write your name on the sheet and $10 will be added to your bill. The mat is yours to keep." Eve took every precaution to keep things sanitary and convenient for her guests. I admired that about her. Eve was beautiful, yes, but also smart and capable.
The sheet in question was hooked onto a clipboard that dangled from a chain attached to the wall. I scrawled my name on the sheet and took a mat, peeling the wrapping off and dropping the plastic into a trash can on my way out. Ollie and the rest of the yoga fans had already laid out their mats by the time I got back to the lawn. I spread mine out.
"We'll start with a warm-up," Ollie said.
"No glasses?" I said. "Don't trip over your mat, Ollie."
He rolled his eyes. "I'm not that nearsighted. Now, everybody assume mountain pose. Feet spread to hip width. Let your mind go and really feel your feet. Stretch your toes up and then relax them down again."
I followed Ollie's instructions without thinking about it, my mind wandering to other thoughts. Eve. Her lips. Her scent. Her flavor. The faint pinkness of her cheeks after our kiss. I wanted to do more than feel her soft lips on mine. I wanted all of her, naked and wet and—
Fuck. I had to stop imagining all the things I wanted to do to her, or this would turn into porn yoga.
With a great effort of will, I concentrated on Ollie's instructions and on attaining a relaxed and thought-free state of mind. Ollie might've been young, but he led our yoga session with all the composure and patience of someone much older. By the time we got to the headstand pose, I'd stopped thinking at all. Serenity took over, and I let myself enjoy the sounds of nature around us—the singing of birds, the whisper of the breeze fluttering through the trees, the gentle intonations of our teacher.
I was vertical and upside down when I noticed Eve hovering at the lawn's edge.