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Bea pursed her lips at the young women frolicking on the rocky shore.
“Really,” she said to Rupert, but loud enough the rest of our group could hear. “Those outfits don’t leave much to the imagination.”
Ruperttut-tutted, but as usual, paid little attention. I found his perpetual distraction endearing, even if I would rather die than tell him so.
“You’ll catch your death of cold!” Bea shouted at no one in particular.
“Not today!” one of the girls shouted back.
“We’ll head on up to the higher pools.” Lewis motioned for us to continue along the path.
Despite the crowds below, fewer hikers kept on with every waterfall we passed. The next pool large enough for swimming only had a few people gathered around it.
“The Fairy Pools have become quite popular.” Lewis seemed to feel it warranted a vague apology.
“Everyone who comes to Skye wants to see the Pools and The Storr,” Arnav said. “They get a fair few visitors.”
“The Storr is what inspired me to take my whole trip.” I couldn’t complain about the crowds when we were all after the same thing.
“I thought it was Loch Ness,” Harlow teased.
“Yeah, yeah.”
The sun broke through the haze of clouds, shining through the water until I could have counted every rock and pebble lining the bottom of the pool. I took a few pictures of the blue-green water with the imposing mountains behind it, yet another example of Scotland’s storybook scenery.
Kneeling at the water’s edge, I put one hand into the glassy pool but quickly drew it out again—it felt as cold as Loch Ness.
“Are you testing it for a dip?” Duncan asked.
“If it was hotter out, maybe.” The day hadn’t warmed nearly enough for me to consider it. “I think I’ll keep my clothes on.”
“I’ve never prayed so hard for a heat wave.”
Talk about an extreme heat advisory—my insides turned molten. I shook my head at him, but the man was smoldering. Surprised everything close to him didn’t go up in flames.
Especially me.
Harlow pulled off her backpack. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m going in.”
“That feels like a challenge.” Carlos grinned, following her lead.
Bea looked on in horror. “Lewis, you can’t let them do such a thing. Molly nearly caught her death in Loch Ness. Do you want them to do the same?”
“I didn’t nearly catch my death,” I said, but Bea went on glaring at Lewis.
“I won’t stop them.” He frowned as they peeled off their clothes. “Although I’d advise as short a dip as possible, given the temps.”
“And the midges,” Duncan said.
We’d been swarmed by the tiny flies a few times already. They found every bit of exposed skin, and their bites itched like mad. Becoming a midge buffet seemed a definite mark against wild swimming.
“You’re going in with a wetsuit, at least?” Bea said to Harlow.
Spencer laughed at the absurd comment, but she didn’t seem to notice.
Harlow stripped down to a bikini, and Carlos wore swim trunks. This obviously wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. She leapt across rocks to get closer to the waterfall’s spray, and he followed right behind. Easy to see who was trying to impress whom.
Duncan sidled closer to me. “Not tempted to go in?”
