Page 73 of Closer than Ever

“I don’t want to leave.”

“We have time here.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you feel like you’re prioritising joy and pleasure enough on your trip?” Anna said, softly. “Don’t want you to feel like you aren’t.”

“They’ve been a priority. Very much.”

They drifted together on Hayley’s blanket. It was getting darker. The side of Hayley’s bare leg rested against Anna’s. The skin on skin contact alone was sending Anna’s hormones into overdrive.

“And what about our list? How awesome is it that we’re getting through it?” Hayley said.

“I know. It’s a dream to actually do this stuff. We’ve done pretty much everything on the list, and we’ve still got three weeks left to cover the rest of the islands. It should be enough time. I might need to look at the ferry schedules tomorrow.”

“I believe there’s one more thing we haven’t done yet.”

“What’s that?”

“We haven’t been skinny-dipping.”

Anna inhaled, sharply. She’d left that out intentionally, feeling too all over the place emotionally to talk about getting naked in front of each other right now.

“I think tonight’s the perfect night to tick that off our list.” Hayley’s eyes were playful in the fading light. Her voice dipped lower. “There’s no one else around. It’s just us.”

Just us. Anna used to love that phrase when they lived together. It meant she’d get Hayley all to herself. And now, tonight, she had just that. Anna nodded, thinking, panicking, looking out to the water, which was shimmering and calm. “What did you have in mind?”

Hayley grinned. “The sea will be freezing so I say we just run in and out once. We both have to go down to our shoulders. But let’s not get our hair wet.”

“We don’t have towels or anything.”

“We can go straight back to the camper and get dry. I can light a fire. Or we can take showers right away.”

Anna considered it. Somehow, it did feel like the right moment. Any chance to get closer to Hayley at this point was what she wanted. What she needed. “Okay. You’re on.”

“Aha! We have lift off.”

Anna smiled. Hayley’s enthusiasm was infectious. Her energy was so positive and happy. Anna fucking loved it.

Hayley stood up and held out her hand. Anna took it, feeling butterflies in her stomach, and stood up. She met Hayley’s steady gaze still holding onto her hand. This was happening.

Hayley started unbuttoning her shirt while holding Anna’s gaze. Anna watched her fingers move down the buttons, forgetting that she had to get naked too. Her heart started pounding. Hayley slipped out of her shirt and unbuttoned her jean shorts. When she undid the zip, Anna gulped, and had to look away. Crossing her arms, Anna grasped her t-shirt at the bottom and lifted it over her head. She stepped out of her own shorts and glanced up at Hayley, who was now completely naked and watching her.

Anna’s lips parted as she ran her eyes over Hayley’s body. Instinctively, Anna got rid of her underwear and joined her, completely naked on the beach, free and untethered.

Hayley ran her eyes over Anna’s body. It was like she was seeing right through her skin to her very soul. Hayley took her hand, entwining her fingers with Anna’s and smiled. “Let’s do this.”

They walked to the shore, hand in hand, as if to a new era together. It was imperceptible, but Anna could feel that Hayley felt something too. Even though the water was cold and she was feeling exposed, Hayley’s hand in hers gave her all the warmth she needed.

Anna turned to Hayley. “The things you get me to do, honestly, woman. You are a force of nature.”

Hayley grinned and ran into the water which splashed around her legs. “Come with me, Anna,” she called out.

Anna shook her head, smiling, and did just that. She ran in. The water stung but Hayley’s smile kept her going. “Fuck! This is crazy.”

“Yes!” Hayley said, going in further. “One tiny swim and then we’re done.”

“I thought we were just going to run in and out?”

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