Page 67 of Natural Temptation

"It looks so small from up here," I murmur, a sudden pang of nostalgia hitting me.

Ryan has his gaze fixed on the window. "But it's given us so much."

I think about the trails we've hiked, the hidden waterfalls we've discovered, and the countless sunsets we've shared. Each memory is a thread, weaving us closer together. "Do you think we'll find what we're looking for out there?"

"I think we might find more than we bargained for."

As we climb higher, leaving our island paradise behind, the vast sky stretches out before us. Whatever comes next, I know one thing for certain—with Ryan by my side, I'm ready for anything.

Chapter Twenty

Meredith

As we had stepped off the plane in Redmond, Oregon, the first thing I noticed was a crisp breeze. It had sent my hair swirling around my face like a mini cyclone. The journey from Redmond to the Au Naturel Naturist Resort had taken longer than I expected, but I'm excited to finally see the original resort that set off a chain reaction of nudist hijinks.

A beautiful, tanned god opens the passenger door of the pickup truck that had brought us here. "Welcome to Au Naturel. It's lovely to meet you, Meredith. I am Val Silva. And that is my wife Eve over there, preparing to explain the rules to a new batch of guests."

Val's Brazilian accent is hot, but I prefer Ryan's voice.

Ryan steps out of the truck first and gives me a helping hand. We both glance around, curious about our new environment.

I fake a shiver and wrap my arms tightly around myself. "Brr! Quite a change from the warm, sunny paradise we just left, huh?"

"Seriously? It's not that cold," Ryan informs me sarcastically, taking my hand as we follow Val. "Look at those senior citizens playing miniten in the buff. If they can handle it, so can we. This place definitely has charm, don't you think? I hear there's a hot spring too."

Well, that does sound wonderful. Hot spring sex? Count me in.

Ryan's gaze veers to a family nearby—the parents nude, the kids a mix of clothed and not. "Interesting crowd. I've gotten used naked adults twenty-four seven."

I follow his line of sight, taking in the diverse group of travelers. An elderly couple strolls by hand in hand, smiling and waving to Val—and by extension, me and Ryan too. A little girl, maybe five or six, gleefully skips ahead of her parents with not a stitch on. Her ebullient giggles echo off the buildings.

"Welcome to Oregon," I proclaim, linking my arm through Ryan's. "Land of the free, home of the bare."

He chuckles softly at my joke as we make our way to toward a lovely little cottage that's set apart from the other buildings. I can't help but compare this bustling resort in the heart of America to our secluded island home. No lush jungle or pristine white beaches here. Instead, I see Ponderosa pines, western hemlock, Indian hawthorn. Still, there's an undeniable beauty and energy here.

When we reach the little house, I notice it's labeled "Caretakers Cottage."

Val pounds on the door. "Wake up,amorzinho! Our guests have arrived." He throws a smirk over his shoulder at us. "Don't worry, Eve is in there. She's pregnant again and needs a good amount of rest." He pounds again. "Amorzinho! I'm about to kick the door in."

Ryan and I exchange awkward looks, then turn our attention to the large lawn. I spot a young man with a buff bod who's wearing...well, not much. Just a small apron emblazoned with the resort logo. I sneak a glance at Ryan, noticing the slight furrow of his brow.

"Everything okay, sweetie?" I ask.

"Hell yeah. Don't worry about me, Mer."

The door to the cottage swings open at last, and a strawberry blonde greets us with a big smile. "Welcome to Au Naturel Oregon, our original resort. Ryan I've met, virtually. And you must be his other half. Ready to explore the place where naturism found its home?"

"I'm so ready. My name is—"

"Oh, we know all about you and Ryan." She steps aside to make room in the doorway. "I'm Eve Silva, by the way."

A dark-haired woman rushes up to me and Ryan, grinning broadly—and wearing clothes. "I'm Mara Jackson. My hubby, Ollie, is busy with other stuff, so I thought I'd greet you guys."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Mara. We've heard so much about this place."

"Well, prepare to have your expectations blown away," Mara advises us with a teasing smile. "Let's start with a quick tour, shall we?"

Eve and Val join our little group. As we all follow Mara through the resort, I can't help but notice the stark differences between our little slice of paradise on Heirani Motu and this part of Oregon. Here, the air is crisp and pine-scented, a far cry from the tropical breeze we've grown accustomed to. Families and couples of all ages mingle freely, some clothed, some bare, all seemingly at ease.

---