Page 33 of Vitamin Sea
“Remember,” she whispered to Jack as she leaned on his arm for support. “This is a nude resort. So, brace yourself.”
“Got it—poker face on,” he said in mock seriousness.
The lobby was mostly full of staff but there were a few people hanging around. There was a couple sitting at the lobby bar with only their backs visible to her and Jack.
“Does the bar supply the towels?” Jack whispered, clearly noticing the couple had draped a white towel over each of their seats.
Chloe stifled a giggle and nodded.
“They have some behind the bar if a guest forgets to bring one from their room.”
“Well, thank god for that,” Jack said with mock relief. “At least you know the seats are clean. The things you need to know when it comes to visiting a nude resort . . .,” he trailed off.
“Oh, it’s definitely been an educational experience,” she grinned.
As they made their way past the restaurants and out of the lobby, Chloe steered them towards the pool.
“Get ready,” Chloe whispered. “We’re taking a shortcut.”
Jack walked in stunned silence as they approached the outer perimeter of the pool. Latin dance music emanated from the speakers as they walked past the other guests who were sunbathing, swimming, and saddled up to the bar. There was a raucous game of water volleyball going on and she noticed Jack’s eyes grow bigger when he saw it.
“Is it strange I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes above their necks?” Jack said in low tones. “It’s the strangest thing. I don’t normally pay attention to what people are wearing, butthere’s something about everyone being naked that’s making it hard for me not to look.”
Chloe shook with laughter.
“I had the same problem. Once you get used to it, you stop noticing. It’s actually kind of surprising how quickly you forget about it. At first I thought I was going to have to wear sunglasses for my entire stay.”
“Ola!” Juan, the bartender who had served Lala one entire half of the menu that morning, waved to Chloe when he saw her approaching the pool bar.
“Ola.” Chloe waved back.
“Can I get you a drink, señorita?” he asked.
“No, gracias,” she said graciously. Maybe tomorrow if she was feeling up to it. Although she had a feeling that tomorrow she would be in a world of pain.
Past the pool they came to a pathway lined with palm trees and foliage that led to the guest rooms. The resort did have a couple of towers above the lobby that contained standard guest rooms, but there were also individual stand-alone suites situated in a lush area beyond the pool. Chloe and Lala were in one of the most opulent suites the resort had to offer—a perk the general manager had probably provided in hopes of impressing her. Golf carts were used for transportation to get around the grounds. She and Jack could have taken one, but she opted not to as walking gave them more time to spend together. There was also something about being in a golf cart next to naked people who jiggled with every bump, turn, and acceleration that she thought might make her feel worse than she already did. She had a feeling that Jello was going to give her serious Costa Morpho flashbacks the next time she encountered it.
“This is a nice resort,” Jack remarked as they walked down a set of steps flanked by tall, swaying palm trees.
“It is,” Chloe agreed.
“Is your near-death experience going to sour any part of your review?” he asked with curiosity.
“No—I could hardly let something I stupidly got myself into affect my stay. That wouldn’t be fair to the readers. Although I’m not sure if or how I will work my misadventure into the article.”
They approached one of the largest bungalows—a wooden structure with one wall of sliding glass doors, a cement patio with a lounge set, and landscaped greenery surrounding the space.
“The curtains are closed.” Chloe glanced at the sliding glass doors. “I don’t know if that means Lala is still sleeping.”
She reached into her back pocket, and it dawned on her that she didn’t have her room key. Another thing, in addition to her phone, flip-flops, and her dignity, that the ocean had stolen.
“I don’t have my key.” She turned to Jack. “Hopefully Lala is inside. I’m exhausted. I don’t know if I have the energy to walk all the way back to the lobby.”
She rapped heavily on the thick wooden door and waited.
There was no response.
Chloe groaned. Mentally, she had been holding up pretty well, given everything she had been through. But the prospect of having to trek all the way back to the lobby in her injured and exhausted state left her feeling mildly upset.
