Chapter 2: Building Tension
The sun had risen high in the sky, its temperature gradually increasing as I felt beads of sweat rolling down my forehead. However, it wasn't the sun that was causing my rising temperature. I was getting ready for my jog with Shari. We had agreed to meet downstairs at the entrance of the resort, where guests would typically wait for the shuttle to take them to town.
As I made my way downstairs, I couldn't help but feel a little anxious. It was one thing speaking to Shari through a hole in the wall, but to actually see her face to face was another thing. We hadn't seen each other in over 25 years!
I started to get cold feet. "What are you doing John? You're married."
But then, before I could do much more contemplating, there she was. "My gosh," there she was, and she was gorgeous. Honestly, about as gorgeous as my wife, who in my book was the most beautiful woman on the planet.
This beautiful woman walked up to me, trim, athletic, perfect in almost every way. I couldn't believe it. She actually looked better than when we were in high school. I wasn't a slouch; still in good shape, for my age, not bad looking. But, immediately, all of those high school insecurities started flooding back.
I felt like I was back in high school, the nerdy, introverted kid, wanting to ask Shari out, but afraid of getting rejected. I started questioning myself.
"What am I doing? Am I really about to go on a jog with my old high school crush looking like this?"
But before I could spiral down the rabbit hole of my thoughts, Shari's infectious smile snapped me back into reality.
"Hey," she said casually, as if we were old friends.
I couldn't help but notice how comfortable she seemed, striding towards me with confidence.
"Hi," I managed to stutter out, still a little in shock from our earlier encounter.
She seemed to notice my hesitation. "Is everything okay?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to one side.
I nodded. "Yeah, just feeling a little taken off guard," I said, trying to smile.
She grinned back.
"I get it. It's not exactly every day you run into someone you knew from high school while on a 'nude-cation', is it?" She giggled at the humor of it.
Her words brought back a rush of memories, memories of our school days together. I suddenly realized that I was standing there with a dumbfounded look on my face, completely lost in the past.
"Sorry," I said, snapping out of my trance, "it's been so long since we last saw each other.
You look great!" I meant it, but I couldn't resist adding a little flirt.
Shari blushed and laughed. "You haven't changed a bit either, Jason."
"Come on, let's get going," I said, eager to shake off any lingering awkwardness. We started walking towards the path that led to the beach.
We chatted easily about our lives and work. It was clear that Shari had been through a tough time and although she had rebuilt her life, it still seemed like a fresh wound.
She gave me a brief overview of her late husband, explaining how they had met, how they grew together, and how he had eventually left her alone in a world she didn’t recognize. But then she lightened up.
“Have you thought about dating again?” I asked, while we walked down the trail. “I mean, you are a beautiful woman.”
She gave me a small, shy smile and shook her head. “No. Not yet. I just want to be alone for a while. Honestly, I'm not sure I'll ever marry again.
"I get it." I nodded reassuringly.
We talked for awhile, and then took off jogging. She had been jogging for years, and it showed; the muscular legs, the tight firm stomach. Man, was she gorgeous. It was so hard to stop my mind from wandering to a "what if" scenario.
I mean, I love my wife Jane and wouldn't cheat on her, but the thought of something happening between me and Shari was definitely there. I mean, I felt a little something from her, especially in the way she was looking at me. It was like this familiarity that felt almost comforting, yet a bit intimidating.
I had to shake those thoughts from my head. I was married after all! And besides, Shari had just lost her husband; she was just looking for some comfort; comfort that she had found alone. I just happened to be filling a little space. At least, that's how I saw it.
After a good three miles, I was feeling it. It was obvious that she was in much better shape than I was. Course, I didn't want that to show, but unfortunately, it was obvious. By the time we got back to the condo, I was exhausted.
"Are you pooping out on my old man," she giggled playfully.
"I think so. I'm sorry. I don't think these legs can go much further." I finally admitted.
"No problem. I think I'm ready to go back in myself."
"Well," I thought. "That's that. She'll go her way, back into isolation, and we'll probably not even talk again.
My thoughts were interrupted with just the opposite. "So, how about lunch?" She inquired.
"Oh, uh, sure. Where do you wanna go?"
"Well, I'm really wanting to get back and take a shower. I've made a homemade lasagna. I've definitely had the time to do it. Would love to share it with you." She responded.
"Share what? The shower?" I jokingly asked. "Why in the world did I say something so stupid!" I thought to myself.
She paused and responded a bit differently than I expected. "Well, I guess if you'd like. We are Nude-Cation friends."
"I was joking!" I responded quickly. "I'm sorry. Bad Joke!"
"I know that silly!" She responded. Though I thought I picked up on a little bit of disappointment. "So what do you say? Lasagna?"
"Sure! My place or yours? How about my place. I have some salad to go with it." I was feeling quite hospitable.
"Sounds good!" She said. "I'll get cleaned up, heat up the lasagna, and meet you at your place." She then hesitated. "Now I know our condos are right next to each other, but I really don't want to show off my body to everyone else. I'll call you ahead of time. Please have that door unlocked. That'd be awful to get stuck outside naked."
"Naked?!" I said, surprised.
"Of course!" She answered, with equal surprise. "This IS a Nude-Cation."
"Uh, I, Uh, just thought." I couldn't even form the words.
She grimaced. "Don't worry. Of course, I'm not expecting anything sexual . . . Geesh. Besides . . ."
I interrupted her. Obviously my insecurity started to rear its ugly head. "I know. I know. You'd definitely not want to do anything like that with me."
She paused and looked confusingly at me. "Huh? I was going to say you're married, you goof!"
"Oh, yeah, of course! Umm, I'm going to quit while I'm ahead." I couldn't even start to get out of that one.
She hit me on the arm playfully. "See ya in about an hour, Nude Boy." It was a playful remark, and again I got upset at myself with the movement going on between my legs.
"See ya soon!" I said, as she went into her condo. "What was I doing?" I thought. "I'm going to be naked with an old crush! Well, it's just nudity. Nothing will come out of it." I tried to convince myself, as I went into my condo. "I'd better get cleaned up." I thought to myself.
It was now 45 minutes later. I was counting every minute nervously. There I was, salad and dressing was out, I was all cleaned up, pacing back and forth . . . and I was completely naked. No other woman, besides my wife had ever seen me naked. Both of us had married as virgins. Now, I was about to break that part of our covenant. Great, I was now nervous and a bit sick to my stomach.
I heard the phone ring, indicating that Shari was on her way.
I quickly wrapped a towel around my waist and dashed to front door. I heard the gentle knock.
"Oh shit, she can see me," I thought as I yanked the towel tighter around my waist. "Calm down, you're an adult," I said to myself, trying to talk myself out of how crazy this was.
"Hey, let me in," she whispered. I could hear her on the other side.
"Ok." I unlocked the door and opened it. She gracefully, yet quickly stepped in, holding a lasagna in her hands, with of course, nothing on.
"What the?" she said, pushing the lasagna towards me. I took it out of reaction. "What's with the towel!" She exclaimed, frustrated. I sat the lasagna cautiously on the kitchen shelf.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" I stuttered, suddenly realizing the awkwardness of my situation. By now the nervousness on my part was evident. She raised an eyebrow quizzically.
"Are you okay?" she asked, looking troubled.
And there was the irony in the situation. I was the one covered by a towel, and she was the one standing there completely in the buff, with not one stitch of cloth around her body. Yet, I was the one embarrassed.
I felt my cheeks turn red as I explained, "I just thought it would be, um, simpler to, uh, open the door without, uh . . . this isn't making any sense, is it?
She arched an eyebrow and let out a chuckle. "Well, I suppose you can do what you want, but I thought the idea of this Nude-Cation is to, uh BE NUDE." She then shot me a playful smile.
"Just take the towel off, Jason." It felt like an order.
In one swift motion, I dropped the towel and suddenly stood there, exposed. It was a moment of vulnerability, one I hadn't experienced for . . . well, ever.
There we were, two grown adults, in our 40's standing facing each other, completely naked. Yet, the naked woman in front of me was the girl I had fantasized about so many times, in my youth. It was the most surreal moment of my entire life.
I had the hardest time looking at her.
"Just take a good look, Jason. Let's get the awkwardness over." She started turning slowly, as if modeling some beautiful dress. Yet, instead, she was modeling something much more appealing.
"Oh my go . . . ," I knew my mouth was open. Involuntarily, I was mumbling, but could barely form words. "You're . . . you're beautiful." I really didn't even know how to respond correctly.
Her naked breasts were perfect, all the way down to her perfectly toned stomach. My eyes moved past her stomach to her perfect, shaved mound. Jane would never shave there. But here I was staring at my crush of old, with a completely bare pussy. I couldn't help but stare.
"Oh, I just shaved it." She said matter of factly. I started doing this a couple of years ago, after I started going nude. I really like the feeling of it. "How's it look?"
"I . . . uh . . . " I couldn't form the words.
She just giggled. "Well, I'm glad you like it."
My eyes continued to her athletic legs. Even her feet were a turn on.
She continued to turn. "Well, you may as well check out my ass. How's it look?"
"Um . . uh . . really, uh good." My words just weren't coming out at this point. I was too much in shock.
"Well, obviously you like it. Thanks." She smiled, almost seductively. "Now let's have a look at you."
Now I was extremely nervous. I felt instantly exposed. However, her smile put me surprisingly at ease. I could feel her eyes looking me over. I definitely wasn't as in shape as she was.
"Nice," she finally said. "and wow, that is a very nice, healthy cock!"
"I'm sorry." I couldn't help but say. My cock was so at attention that it hurt.
"No please," she said, as she bit her lip. " I take that as the biggest compliment."
I blushed, my confidence slowly rising from her words.
"Well, let's get lunch started!" She said, matter of factly.
She gracefully moved towards the kitchen area and grabbed some plates. I couldn't help but stare at her naked form as she moved about. "You get the drinks and I'll scoop up." She said, turning her eyes back to me. I felt almost surprised, like I had just been snapped out of a daydream. The momentary tension suddenly dissipated, replaced with what seemed like just normal conversation.
Minutes later, we found ourselves around the dining room table, sitting and eating a delicious homemade meal. Somehow, the awkwardness had turned into a comfortable conversation. We were laughing and talking like we'd been Nude-Cation Friends for quite awhile.
We were like old friends, discussing everything from our favorite childhood memories, to our family, to our dreams and fears. It felt like we were two curious souls, each finding comfort in the other's company.
But, I couldn't help but notice that our gaze kept drifting towards each other, a sort of tentative intimacy growing between us.
As we finished our lunch, she looked at me and smiled. "You have something on your chin." She reached over with her hand, gently wiping off a crumb. I could feel the warmth of her skin, the softness of her touch, and suddenly, it seemed like we were no longer just friends on a nude-cation.
The air around us felt thick and electric, charged with an energy I had never experienced before.
As she pulled her hand away, I caught a glimpse of her eyes, and I could have sworn I saw something there. Was it desire? Lust? Or just simple curiosity? Whatever it was, it had ignited a spark within me, a spark that grew stronger with every passing moment.
"Thank you," I managed to say, my voice barely audible. She smiled and sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest, drawing attention to her perfectly sculpted breasts.
I tried to look away, but my gaze lingered on the curve of her collarbone, the dip in her waist, and the soft curve of her hips. I felt my face flush at the realization that she had caught me staring.
"You're still as polite as ever," she said, a teasing note in her voice.
"I'm sorry. You just look..." I trailed off, trying to find the right words. "Incredible," I finished softly, shaking my head in amazement.
Shari laughed, a deep, throaty sound that sent shivers down my spine.
"Well, I'm glad you think so, Jason. But trust me, I'm far from perfect. I have my fair share of flaws and insecurities."
"I seriously doubt that," I said, gesturing to her flawless physique.
As I looked into her eyes, I felt myself getting lost in the depth of her gaze. Suddenly, she laughed softly and shook her head, breaking the spell.
"I'm married!" I blurted it out, without thinking. "I'm sorry. I thought that was in my head. It just came out."
I apologized sheepishly, not knowing what else to say.
Shari's eyes softened as she looked at me with a mixture of understanding and sympathy. "Yes, you're married." she replied, giving me a small, comforting smile. "Raise your glass," she said, lifting hers in a toast.
I raised my glass and clinked it against hers, our eyes locked for a moment. The air between us seemed to crackle with a strange spark, a connection I couldn't quite explain.
I found myself struggling to break eye contact with Shari.
"To new friends," she said, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"To new friends," I repeated, taking a deep breath.
As we pulled away from each other, I couldn't help but feel a strange mix of emotions. On the one hand, I was overwhelmed by the intensity of our connection. On the other hand, I was painfully aware of the fact that I was married, and that I couldn't risk losing everything I had worked so hard for.
Then Shari blurted out something that I never could have imagined, catching me completely off guard.
"I am so horny!"
An awkward silence hung in the air between us, like a heavy fog smothering the room. I held my breath, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to come up with an appropriate response.
But then, Shari started laughing, the sound light and airy like a breeze on a summer's day. "You don't have to look so shocked, Jason," she said, her voice tinged with amusement.
"I'm just being honest. I haven't been with anyone since my husband died, and this place, you, all of it . . . it's making me feel alive again."
I let out a sigh of relief, my heart still racing in my chest. "I understand," I said, trying to regain my composure. "But, I'm married, and I can't do anything that might put that at risk."
Shari looked at me, her eyes softening. "I know," she said. "And I respect that. I just needed to let that out. But understand something," Her eyes locked on mine. "This is a Nude-Cation, and with a Nude-Cation is complete openness."
I couldn't say that I was really following her logic.
She continued. "To put it bluntly, because openness is a part of it, we can't have sex, but there's other stuff we can do . . . and as I said, I'm horny."
Shari's words hung in the air, and I could feel myself growing more and more nervous. "What are you saying exactly?" I asked, trying to maintain my composure.
"I'm saying that, well, I find you attractive, Jason." she said, biting her lip. "And here we are, naked together."
What in the world was she going to say next?
"I'm going to masturbate." She matter of factly stated, as she got up; her beautiful nude body prancing towards the couch.
That I was shocked would put it mildly. But what followed really topped it off.
She sat down on the towel that I already had on the couch. I couldn't believe my eyes, as she just casually spread her legs; her finger already touching her beautiful, swollen clit. I sat there with my mouth open. and then she said it.
"You going to come join me, or what?" Shari asked, a naughty smile playing at the corners of her lips. The thought of joining her in masturbation felt both intriguing and terrifying. I sat there frozen, trying to process what was happening.
"I," I stammered, "I don't know what to say." The sight of her pleasuring herself was pushing all my buttons, yet I couldn't bring myself to join in.
"Come on, really? I mean, we're both on a Nude-Cation," she said, raising an eyebrow.
"It's not like it's anything to be ashamed of."
Shari's words struck a nerve. She was right. I was on a Nude-Cation, after all. I just hadn't expected things to escalate this quickly.
"Go ahead," she said, encouragingly. "Let yourself go. It's okay."
Her words were so soothing that they disarmed me. I walked towards her with a nervous smile and sat down on the recliner, facing the couch.
I looked at her, her eyes already closed, biting her lip, as she continued touching herself. I swallowed hard, feeling my own heart pulse. It was too hard to resist the temptation. Besides, I was so horny, I probably barely needed to touch myself. I hadn't seen anything this erotic, since my honeymoon night.
As I started touching myself, she opened her eyes and smiled, a seductive look on her face. By now, her fingers were really working their magic; two fingers rubbing feverishly back and forth on her clit.
"Hey Jason," she said, through the continual deep breaths and occasional moans. I was now fully stroking my cock in front of her. "I know how much you liked me growing up." She was breathing harder and harder.
"Guess what?" She said, as she plunged the two fingers of her other hand into her wet pussy. "I had a crush on you too! Mmmm . . . Come on, jack off to your lifelong crush, you stud!"
I couldn't stand it. Watching her with this newfound revelation, spread, panting and groaning; her legs completely spread with both hands working that amazing pussy.
We both released together. I didn't have anything to catch my jizz, I didn't even care. I was free of my inhibitions. This was a damn Nude-Cation!
Shari and I had a mutual orgasm together, each of us admitting to the desires and fantasies that we'd both had since we were young.
My heart raced as my cock pumped one final burst of warm, satisfying pleasure into the air. I panted and groaned as I came down from my blissful high, my hand still wrapped around my now semi-hard shaft.
Shari's head fell back onto the couch, her hair splayed out in a messy but wildly sexy array. Interestingly, we both just started laughing.
It was a casual, relieved kind of laughter. We had just experienced something very intimate, yet completely different from the typical expectations of sex. It was liberating in a way neither of us had anticipated. The tension forged between us started to dissolve as the air turned lighter around us.
"Wow, Jason." Shari finally managed to grab a breath. "That was intense!"
I nodded, unable to speak. My eyes were still on her soft, naked body sprawled on the couch, a scent of arousal still lingering around her.
I had never experienced anything like that before. I had just shared a mind-blowing, intimate moment with a woman who wasn't my wife, without even having sex. The realization left me baffled.
Shari's playful expression changed to a more tranquil one. She looked at me like she had never seen me before. There was a newfound respect in her gaze.
"That was incredible, Jason. Thank you." She finally spoke. "I think we needed that."
"Yeah, wow." I agreed, still in awe of the moment.
We just sat there for a few minutes, smiling comfortably at each other. There was no more tension, no more awkwardness, just a mutual understanding.
Finally, Shari stood up and took a deep breath. "Well, that was definitely satisfying. I've never done anything like that with someone else, but it was definitely worth it," she said candidly.
It was then that a realization hit me. I had never even done that with my wife. How strange.
She was already picking up the dishes and starting to clean. I couldn't help but stare at her as she moved around naked; that beautiful fit, nude body.
"Are you going to help?" She asked, breaking my gaze.
"Of course," I responded, getting up immediately.