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‘Which ones are they?’ I replied, peering out at the remaining nine pools around us.
‘That section over there,’ he said, pointing to an area separated by large bamboo screens. He’d obviously done this before and clearly enjoyed teasing me.
The waitress appeared with two glasses of Aperol Spritz, filling the air with a citrussy zest. We hadn’t even ordered any drinks, but this was exactly what I wanted. She placed the cocktails down next to us and was accosted by Luca.
‘Bonjour.Can you please reassure my friend that the two pools over there are for naked swimming, and she won’t get into trouble for removing her costume?’ he said.
Friend? God, this was confusing.
‘Yes, the area is clothes-free,’ she said, pointing at a small sign tacked onto the bamboo, of a man and woman in swimming costumes crossed out with big red marks. The message seemed to bedeath to those who refuse to expose themselves. Despite this reassurance that we wouldn’t be arrested, I just didn’t feel relaxed enough to strip off and jiggle around with my bits out. Luca was imagining some cool, sexy time, but there would be nothing attractive about my boobs floating on top of the water like inflated airbags.
‘See?’ Luca said with a lascivious wink.
‘I do see. But I’m not sure it’s me,’ I said, taking a long drink of Aperol Spritz and feeling instantly happier. ‘Maybe I’ll feel differently after one or two of these.’
Luca did a circling signal to the waitress to bring another round and we both laughed.
‘It’s alright for you with your biceps and your cheese-grater abs,’ I said, ‘I’m not used to swinging around naked. I’m English; we are a civilised nation.’
‘Very civilised. Beans on toast for dinner, for example?’ he shrugged. ‘Don’t be so uptight.’
He had a point. Maybe running around naked for a few hours would do me some good. Oh God. But what about the airbags? I’d have a couple more drinks and think about it.
‘I’m not uptightactually,’ I said, dragging myself out of the pool and striding forcefully over to the naked area. I pulled on the bow at the back of my bikini to prove I meant business and removed my top in one quick motion, holding it in the air like a prize with my back to him. Luca couldn’t get out of the pool fast enough, scrambling onto the side and chasing me into the clothes-forbidden oasis. Was I meant to take my bottoms off right here? In the middle of the spa? I needed a newspaper or a pineapple to stand behind. I draped my bikini top over one of the screens and sidled into the pool to whip off my third triangle of dignity. Luca was already naked and swimming around like a happy little seal. I had a flash of feeling brave, which quickly subsided – it just didn’t feel right to be swishing my bits around in the water and Luca’s toad in the hole kept bobbing to the surface, putting me off. On a sexy scale of one to ten, this was a maximum of two. It was not doing good things for the attraction levels. For me, anyway.
‘Sorry Luca, I’ve changed my mind,’ I said, apologetically, grabbing my top.
‘Eh?’ Luca said, jumping out of the naked pool and putting his trunks back on. ‘Is this you not being uptight?’
‘Naked swimming just isn’t for me,’ I said, stretching myself out for a swim in one of the fully-clothed pools, which was perfectly nice. I didn’t need to be naked to enjoy myself. Roman perverts. Why else would they make it mandatory to be naked – constantly having orgies, so they had an excuse for endless sex. It’s a miracle they got round to building any roads.
Luca slid in and swam alongside me with a conciliatory smile. ‘No worries,’ he said. ‘I didn’t mean to push you.’
‘It’s still lovely here,’ I said, ‘and being in a bikini is exposing enough for now.’
‘True, true,’ he pulled me over to the side and kissed me. I could feel how excited he was getting and could see how easy it would be to get carried away in this paradise. Maybe I didn’t need to know where this was going; maybe I just needed to enjoy it for what it was and let go.
*
It had already gone midnight when Charlie pulled up outside the chalet. He ran up the steps to unlock the front door, then back to the car to help us out. A gust of cold air slapped me in the face as I bundled myself together and ran in behind Luca, with Charlie following closely, carrying our bags.
‘What an amazing day,’ I said, glad to be home. ‘It’s been like experiencing a little piece of heaven.’ I pulled my coat around me as Luca shut the front door.
‘Oui, it has been fun,’ Luca replied.
Charlie came running down the stairs. ‘That’s all the bags in your room, Monsieur Blanchet,’ he said.
‘Oh. My bag doesn’t…’ I started as Luca held up his hand.
‘MerciCharlie,’ he said, handing him 20 francs, ‘bonsoir.’
‘Au revoir,’ Charlie replied. ‘See you soon, Holly.’ He swung the heavy front door behind him, leaving a charged quiet in the air as Luca and I stared at each other.
‘I better get my bag,’ I said, slightly freaked out as I hardly ever went upstairs. I had no reason to, as the food and wine were very much at ground and basement level.
‘Follow me,’ Luca said, taking my hand. I was so tired, it was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other and carry myself up the stairs. ‘This one is mine,’ Luca said leading me into the first room on the right, decorated in mint green and gold flock wallpaper. It had a four-poster bed with a huge feather duvet and was covered in enormous pillows.
‘Oh wow! This looks cosy,’ I said, spotting the Nespresso machine on the side and a mini fridge full of cold drinks. Charlie had placed our bags on the powder-pink chaise lounge.
