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"Another Day In Paradise"
by S. ClarkNatalie felt a sobering rush as the water engulfed her. She'd shed her inhibitions, and her clothes, without a second thought. No doubt that the wine she drank at dinner boosted her confidence.
What had seemed like a good idea moments before, tempting Nick with a skinny dip here in the resort pool, was now, well, an act that had her questioning her judgment. Nick remained standing at the edge of the pool, a look of shock on his face. And here she was, fully naked in the heated water and chill air of the evening.
'So,' she mused, 'I bare all, and that's not even interesting to him.' She wasn't fully sure Nick's look was one of shock at her actions. She considered it might be just a general aversion to her body, the body she'd just so blatantly put on display for him.
Natalie summoned what little confidence she felt and dove under, continuing to swim across the pool as if she didn't have a care in the world. It was one thing to let herself be hurt by Nick's unresponsiveness to her actions. It'd be quite another thing to let him know how much it hurt her.
Natalie swam to the far end and then started the return trip. About twenty feet from the edge she dove under again, figuring she'd just pop out of the water, reclaim her clothing, and return to the suite as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred regardless of any reaction Nick might have.
She didn't really count on the fact that, when she surfaced and poked her head out, Nick was gone. At this point she really didn't mind that. What she did find more than a little troubling, though, was the fact that her clothes had gone missing, also.
Natalie put her arms on the pool gutter and lifted herself higher so she could make sure the surrounding area was actually empty. She started out of the water, but then she heard a woman's laughter, and slid back into the pool.
As she crouched low in the shallow end, a couple strolled by the path that went near the pool. Nat considered asking them for the loan of some kind of covering, but she wasn't sure she was yet desperate enough to explain her plight to total strangers. Of course, they might be a little more sympathetic than Nick had been. That was a different matter.
Still, she kept hidden, trying not to let her teeth chatter too loudly, and waiting for the couple to pass. Just her luck, they had chosen near the pool as a romantic spot to kiss. To Natalie it felt like an eternity until they decided to move along, no doubt continuing on to bed.
She started a quiet swim around the edge of the pool, hoping to spot something that'd be of use. She considered untying one of the cushions from the lounge chairs that surrounded the pool. It'd be bulky, but functional as a covering.
Fortunately, on the far side of the pool she found a towel that someone had left behind. Nat climbed out of the pool. She cursed under her breath as she scraped her bad knee on the cement along the edge.
The towel was damp with the evening dew. But, it did manage to allow her to remain some semblance of modesty, if only just barely.
Nat clutched the towel about her and started along the path. She walked gingerly, the rough ground made travel slow given her bare feet.
She made her way through the grounds, almost without incident. But, as she neared the bungalow she was sharing with Nick, she heard the voices of a couple. The voices were getting closer; the couple was coming her way.
Natalie contemplated making a dash for the room, but was unsure she'd be able to make it all the way without being spotted. And what if the door was locked? She certainly didn't have a key hidden away anywhere.
Realizing that the dash was likely to fail, she instead went for the old stand-by hide behind a tall bush. And it would have been a terrific place to hide, if it wasn't for the fact that it was blocking
another bungalow's bedroom window from being in public view.The occupants of said bungalow heard the rustling within the bushes, and saw the outline of a person, silhouetted by the lights that lined the path. Being careful and considerate guests, they snuck into another room and called the resort security.
Natalie, confident the couple had passed, crept out of her hiding place. She kept herself along the buildings, off the path. The grass was softer on her feet, anyway, and made the travel faster.
The door was in sight, just a few feet to go. She reached out for it, and felt a hand on her shoulder. Natalie screamed and quickly turned around. But, while doing so, she relaxed her grip on the towel. It slipped to the ground.
"Just what is going on here?" asked the security guard.
Natalie grabbed for the towel and placed it back around her body. 'Please, just kill me now,' she thought.
"Are you a guest here, madam?" he continued.
Natalie nodded her head, just slightly.
"Well, I'm sure you won't mind showing me your room key, then."
Natalie felt she'd showed him just about everything already. She almost didn't want him to know where she was staying. What's worse, she could see the shadow of someone else approaching from behind.
"Honey, is that you?" It was Nick's voice.
The guard looked past Natalie to Nick. "You know this person?"
Nick threw a robe over Natalie's shoulders. "Please excuse us. She must have just stepped out the door, momentarily..."
"...I thought I heard something, in the bushes," Natalie added, picking up the thread where Nick was floundering.
"Yes," agreed Nick. "Something outside the room."
"Wearing only a towel?" asked the guard.
"I was in the shower."
Nick placed a hand on Natalie's shoulder. "She's a big animal lover. If she thought something was in trouble, well, that's her first concern."
Natalie rubbed at her forehead, feeling a rather powerful headache approaching. "That's me," she said. She let out a giggle, trying to play her part, and feeling instantly stupid for the attempt.
Nick pointed back at the bungalow. "The door must have blown shut." He looked down at Natalie. "Right, honey?"
Natalie gave him a smile, and stepped back, smashing her heel into his foot. "Right, dear."
The guard pointed towards their accomodations. "And this is your bungalow?"
Nick and Natalie both nodded.
He looked at the two of them, then back at his watch. "No harm done, I suppose."
Nat gave him a smile. "Good night." She turned and entered the bungalow, locking the door behind her.
Nick knocked. "Nat? Honey?" He gave a shrug to the security guard. "I'm sure she's still upset over the cat, or whatever." Nick knocked again. "Nat, let me in. Please?"
The guard approached the door. "Allow me," he said, opening the bungalow with a master key.
Nick smiled. "Thanks."
The man stood outside for a moment, listening to the words of disagreement and recrimination coming from within. Then he continued off on his rounds.
Theirs wasn't the best explanation of why the woman was outside of the room, essentially naked. But it was the most entertaining on he'd had this evening.
And it reminded him. He'd better go leave another towel out by the pool. It tended to be a busy spot some nights, and he hated it when he had to track down the lounge chair cushions.
<fin>
<sclark@best.com>