“Don’t tell me you’re backing out now. We’re already ready to go!”
“Consider it a lapse of judgment.”
“Come on,” I groan. “Step outside of the box with me. How many people can say they’ve been to a nude beach in France?”
“Not many sane people, I would assume.”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t make me go by myself. Knock this off my bucket list with me.”
“Who even has this on their bucket list?”
“People like me,” I snap, a little offended.
He blows out a breath. “I didn’t mean it like that. You’re just not like me. That’s not a bad thing, just different. I’m trying to adjust here, and you want me to dive in blind.”
“I hate to break it to you, but I’m pretty sure we already did that last night. It’s too late to back out now, just like you said.”
Memories from last night fill my head, making me swallow harshly. I half expected today to be awkward between us, but it’s been the exact opposite. We’re as normal as can be. Just two good friends spending their final day in Paris together as if they didn’t just agree to embark on a weird sexual relationship the night before.
“We both know I wasn’t referencing going to a nude beach,” he says.
I chew on the inside of my lip, contemplating my next words. “I swear I won’t look if that’s what you’re nervous about.”
“It’s not you looking that makes me nervous.”
“Oh. You’re shy?”
“I’m not shy. I just can’t say I’ve ever had the urge to strip naked and show random people my soft dick.”
From what I remember seeing last night, he doesn’t have any reason to be shy about his dick. Even in a pair of slacks, he looked massive.
“You don’t have to get completely naked where we would go. But even if you did, I guarantee some of them would enjoy the view.”
“Them or you?”
I hold back a smirk. “I thought I wasn’t looking.”
“Right.”
“Prettyplease come. I did a lot of research before I decided I wanted to visit this place. Being naked in public might seem like a sexual thing to you, but to most nudists, it’s completely normal. There’s nothing sexual about it.”
I can’t say what possessed me to want to visit a nude beach, but there’s no way I’m leaving without checking it off my list. I’m too close now.
It’s not for everyone, and I would never force Cooper to come with me if he truly didn’t want to. All he has to do is tell me no and I’ll let it go. I’m sure he could find something to do while I’m there.
He rakes his fingers through his hair and looks at me with a no-bullshit expression. “I’ll come. But if things get weird, I’m leaving.”
“If things get weird, we’llbothleave. ’Kay?”
“Okay.”
“Thank you!” I grab his cheeks and pull him down to my level so I can kiss all over his face before stepping back. “I’ll have the front desk call a cab for us.”
He nods, standing frozen for a moment before clearing his throat and beginning to fuss with his suitcase. A buzz of excitement travels through me as I get our ride sorted.
An hour later, we’re dropped off in a packed parking lot along the highway. Hills keep the beach hidden from the view of traffic. If it weren’t for the sign in front of a break in the hills, you wouldn’t be able to tell a beach was hidden here.
My beach bag swings off Cooper’s shoulder as we stand together in silence. I want to run toward the beach, but he looks reluctant.