Page 115 of The Explorer
“Yeah,” I admitted.
There was no judgment coming from her, just a wistful whisper. “I can relate.”
I turned to look into her eyes. “But you never liked adventures.”
With a sad smile she tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. “I do. I just prefer a different kind of adventure than you.”
Pulling her in for a tight hug, I muttered close to her ear. “Then I hope you’ll find what you’re looking for.”
We were walking back to the cabins when we heard howling and laughter.
“Well, fuck me sideways,” I breathed and gaped as six people came running naked hand in hand.
It was all the Motlanders and Celeste.
“Come on, it’s time to skinny-dip in the moonlight,” Holly shouted as they ran past us to the water.
Doreen, who was closest, reached for my hand. “Join us.”
I laughed. “You people are crazy.”
We stood watching them with smiles on our faces when the other Europeans came walking in a group of four. Zola, Isaac, Simon, and Victor were as naked as the other six had been and made comments about us uptight Northlanders having to learn how to live a little.
“What’s wrong with swimwear?” I shot back while laughing.
Freya squeezed my hand as we stood back and saw all the members of the other two delegations play in the water.
“Is it wrong that part of me wants to be out there with them? They’re like free-spirited children.”
I laughed. “Go ahead.”
Looking over my shoulder, she dipped her head. “They would never let us.”
I knew she was talking about our brothers and Indiana because I could hear their voices behind me.
“We’re adults, Freya. If we want to skinny-dip, we shouldn’t have to ask permission.” With a strong sense of rebellion in my stomach, I stepped out of my shoes, and began unbuttoning my shorts.
Freya’s eyes widened.
“Who has authority over your body?” I challenged her and pushed my shorts down.
“What are you doing?” Indiana called out to me.
With a broad grin, I turned to him and saw him ten feet away with a puzzled look on his beautiful face.
“We dare you three to go skinny-dipping with the rest of us.”
The men had been smoking weed and were in a good mood. “Ah, up your butt and around the corner. You’d never do that.” Mason laughed.
But Freya and I worked fast and in the moonlight she pushed her summer dress over her shoulders and let it drop to the sand.
“Oh, fuck.” Thor clasped his hands in front of his eyes when his sister removed her bra. Freya and I ran off in nothing but our panties.
“Aubri, wait up.” Looking over my right shoulder, I saw Indiana stripping out of his shorts and t-shirt.
With an intense rush of freedom Freya and I ran into the waves, laughing from the outrageousness of it all and screaming from the fear that in a minute the men would drag us out.
Doreen and Holly were quick to include us in their stupid games of spraying water and jumping with childish glee.
