For a second he wanted to scream in terror as the naked body of his best friend hugged him tightly, but the thought quickly melted away when he realised how nice it felt. He'd been close friends with Annie for years, and they'd hugged hundreds of times, but this time felt like it brought him so much closer to his friend.
Now he put his arms around her, holding her tightly too. He'd never felt anything like this before in his life, and felt quite intoxicated by the sensation.
“Thanks for introducing us” he said with a whisper in her ear, “she's amazing.”
“Any time buddy”, she replied into his ear, “I knew she'd be right for you.”
“I love you” he whispered back, overwhelmed by the embrace.
“I love you too” replied Annie, “I always have, Chris and me, we both do.”
“I know” he replied, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.
“How the hell do you manage this” said Annie to Heather as she pulled away from John as she turned to give Heather a hug.
“Oh, it was no big deal” she replied as they embraced, “was it John?”
“Oh, nothing” he replied as he sat down, feeling suddenly drained by the experience.
“I was just heading down for a swim” said Annie, “anyone want to join me?”
“We've just been” replied Heather, “but the water's lovely, so go for it.”
Heather sat down beside John, their eyes meeting as Annie walked out the door. As soon as the door shut behind her they both burst out laughing.
“Oh, you should have seen your face when she went to hug you” said Heather between bouts of laughter.
“I was terrified!” said John in response, laughing even more now.
“Oh, now breakfast” said Heather, suddenly jumping up and walking to the fridge, “you'll need a big meal for today's walk”
“I'm looking forward to this” replied John.
“The meal or the walk?”
“Both” he replied.
Heather giggled, “You're going to love both.”
“Should we tell Annie we're going?” asked John.
“Yes, in fact why don't you nip down and tell her just now while I'm getting breakfast”
“Okay” said John as he stood up and walked out the door.
The sun's rays hit him with their full intensity as he walked out the door. He paused for a second as the intensity of their heat soaked his entire body in warmth. It was a delightful feeling, comforting and enveloping, yet somehow liberating. He smiled as he relished this new found freedom, a freedom that only felt stronger and more fulfilling as he felt the grass under his feet as he began to walk down to the water.
Annie was floating on her back when John came down to the water's edge, seemingly oblivious to his presence. He waded into the pool and swam over to where she was, floating along side her as she drifted across the water.
“Hey buddy” said Annie, “how you doing?”
“Pretty good” he replied, “no, make that very good.”
“You guys seemed to be getting on well.”
“She's amazing, isn't she?”
“I told you she was” Annie replied with a smile. “So, what happened?” she asked, turning in the water to face him.
“Oh, we talked. For hours” John replied. “Then she managed to get me to go skinny dipping just before we went to bed”
“Woah!” said Annie in shock, “last night, you guys...”
“No, no, oh no, we didn't” was John's reply, “I meant before I went to bed myself”
“Let me guess” said Annie, “and she went up to sleep on a rock?”
“How did you know?”
“She always sleeps up there in summer.”
“She's a bit different, isn't she?” said John with a smile.
“She's completely different!” laughed Annie, “But she likes you, I can tell.”
“I like her too. I hope it doesn't go wrong”
“Just be yourself” said Annie reassuringly, “I know she'll like you for who you are.”
“I hope so. She's asked me to go a walk with her today, just the two of us up one of the mountains.”
“Ooh” said Annie with a mischievous look, “we won't wait up!”
“No, I'm sure it's just...” John started before Annie cut him off.
“Don't do this John” she said, “don't refuse to accept something good's about to happen”
“I didn't mean...” said John, but Annie interrupted him again.
“She really likes you.” she said, holding him by the shoulders, “I can tell. So just relax and let things happen, okay?”
“I'm being silly again, aren't I?” said John with a forlorn voice.
“Yes”, came the reply, “but you're cute when you're silly, so it'll only help”
John and Annie giggled as she slapped the water, splashing his face.
“Now go back up to her” said Annie, “and remember, its okay to be silly, she won't hold it against you.”
“Okay,” he replied, as he began swimming back to the shore.
“Oh, and John.”
“Yes?”
“I'm really happy for you” said Annie, “for both of you.”
John smiled and climbed out of the rock pool. He felt a shiver of delight as the water dripped off of him, the sun warming different patches of skin as the water fell away. It was another in the list of new found sensations that naturism was gifting to him, and once again he loved every moment of it. He knew he wanted to embrace this lifestyle and decided there and then to throw himself into it.
Chapter 7
“What are you going to wear today?” Heather asked John as he packed his rucksack with food and water for the day.
“Are we likely to meet anyone up there?” he asked.
“I never have before” she replied.
“Then just my boots” he said, proud of his confidence.
“Feeling brave are we?” she smiled.
“Not brave, but it just feels so good.”
“Make sure you bring something to wear though” she said, much to his surprise, “just in case.”
“In case of what?” he said, surprised that she'd encourage him to wear clothes.
“Its really good you're ready to try this” she said, “but it takes some getting used to. Its best to have something just in case, after all, you don't know your limits.”
“A t-shirt and shorts?”
“Yeah, that'll be fine” she said, “I just don't want you getting too cold up there, it might put you off”
“Okay, but they're going to the bottom of the rucksack!”
“And let's hope they stay there!” she replied, “but don't be afraid to put them on, okay?”
“Yes, sure” he replied, not ever intending to put them on.
It was mid morning by the time Heather and John set off, and the sun was rising high in the cloudless sky. The wind was nothing more than a gentle breeze as the cottage disappeared into the distance behind them and within an hour they were seemingly alone in the wilderness, without a single sign of human civilisation in view. To John it seemed like a paradise, a land untouched by human hand, devoid of concrete and the trappings of modern society. With each step he fell more and more in love with the landscape and the lifestyle Heather lived within it. Everything about this place seemed heavenly to him, from the plants that tickled his ankles as he walked to the wildlife that was everywhere. Frogs leapt through the boggy grassland, birds of prey soared the ridges above him and deer were in the distance, their herds moving slowly across the hillside. Even the smells of the natural world seemed intoxicating, and his nudity just made it all feel closer, like he was a part of it, rather than an intruder.
As they walked the two of them talked little. Heather could see John was loving every minute of being in nature and gave him the space to enjoy it. His enthusiasm for the natural world seemed boundless, and Heather found he could match her pace across the rough ground without problem, e
ven when she tried to speed things up. She was testing him with her pace, seeing what he was capable of, and he passed every test, easily proving himself a physical match for her.
But John was starting to struggle a little in the hot noon-day sun. He was sweating profusely and was looking very flushed. Heather knew he'd do his best to continue no matter what, but as they were passing a boggy bit of land she thought it was time for a break, and a chance to indulge in her favourite method of cooling down.
“Look at me”, she said, “I'm sweating like a little piggy in this heat. Shall we take a break?”
“Okay, sounds good” he replied, unconvincingly hiding his relief from Heather.
“Take your boots and pack off ” she said, “I know a great way to cool down.”
When he did as she said, she led him a few metres away, to a spot where the ground became wetter and boggy. The strong, stagnant smell of it caught John off guard and he winced as it hit his nostrils, as it almost made his eyes water.
“Wow, that's some smell” he said as he stopped dead in his tracks.
“I know” replied Heather, “isn't it lovely?”
“Not the word I would have used!” John replied, laughing.
“I love it” said Heather, “very earthy.”
“Really?” said John with surprise as he realised she was serious.
“Oh yes” she replied, “its the smell of the outdoors, of a wonderful environment untouched by any human intervention. Most people wouldn't come near a smell like this, but that's part of the appeal.”
“Oh” said John, not sure what to say.
“Most people have never smelt anywhere like this before” continued Heather. “They're used to everything being clean and hygienic. The outdoors isn't like that. Its not boring and sterile, its interesting, giving a feast for the senses at every turn.”
“I never thought of it like that” said John, feeling rather foolish for his initial reaction.
“Then shall we take a few more steps into it?” asked Heather.
“Oh, definitely” replied John, beginning to see this new assault on his senses in the spirit Heather had so passionately advocated.
“Wow, that's cold!” he said as his feet sank deeply into the ground with each step.
“Watch your step,” replied Heather, “bogs can be treacherous if you're not careful, you don't want to fall face first into it.”
After a few more metres they came to a more open patch of bog, the ground a mass of standing water and small patches of grass covered sphagnum moss protruding from the water. Heather led him all the way out into the bog before turning and facing him.
“Now take my hands” she said, holding them out to him. He took them, feeling slightly nervous as his feet sank deeper into the dark, peaty water.
“Do you trust me?” Heather said with a grin that somehow made John even more nervous.
“Yes” said John, before qualifying it with “I think.”
“Good answer” laughed Heather. “Now, very slowly, sit down.”
“In this?” he asked, incredulously.
“Oh yes” she replied with a huge smile.
She immediately started slowly sitting down, her hold on John bringing him down with her. She sat straight down in the water without hesitating, letting out a little squeal as it rose above her legs to her waist.
John slowly began to sit down with her, but the moment his penis touched the water he yelped in surprise from the cold and went to stand up, but Heather just tugged on his hands, not enough to force him down, but enough to stop him standing up suddenly.
“Come on” she smiled, “the water's lovely”
John braced himself for the cold and threw himself down into the water. His squeal was louder and even higher in pitch than Heather's had been, but once he was in a cheer from Heather made him laugh, and there was no denying how refreshing it felt after the heat of the walk.
“Oh, this is very nice” he said, as he sighed with the relief from the heat.
“Now try this” she said, letting herself fall back into the water. Her whole body went under the water for a few seconds before she emerged, her whole body stained with the dark water. John watched as she shook her head, the water pouring off her magnificent head of bright red hair with each shake.
“Your turn now” she said. John did nothing, taking a few seconds to psyche himself up to it. Heather just watched him as he did nothing, an evil grin slowly spreading across her face.
Don't make me pounce you” she said, a threat that simultaneously excited and terrified John.
“Just a second” he said but it was too late. Heather jumped forward, throwing her body at him and pushing him back under the water. She rolled off him as he emerged spluttering out the dark water that now covered him too. He turned to face her, wiping the water from his eyes, intending to complain, but the sight of her lying there in the water half on on her back, propped up on one arm, her body partly obscured by the water was just too wonderful a view to open his eyes to and he just gave a stern glance of mock anger. She silently mouthed “sorry” to him with the look of a guilty child caught with her hand in sweet jar, but her eyes gave away the huge smile within her.
His revenge was swift. A quick pull on the arm supporting her sent her straight back under the water with a loud scream of surprise, and this time it was her turn to emerge blinded and spluttering.
“It's true, revenge is a dish best served cold, or in this case, bloody freezing” he said as she glared at him with freezing water dripping down over her.
“This could escalate into a full blown wrestling match if you're not careful” she said coldly to him before breaking into a smile. John decided it was best not to reply to that one and just nodded in agreement, returning the naughty child look right back at her.
“Anyway, I'm hungry” she said, standing up and brushing chunks of damp peat off her legs, “lunchtime?”
“Sounds good” John replied, stealing a glance at her figure as she walked away back to the rucksack, the thought of a wrestling match still lingering in his head.
Standing up, John felt a shiver go through him. The water had been freezing cold and now the slightest breeze brought goose bumps to his skin.
“Are you cold?” Heather asked as he walked back to where she was sitting.
“No, I'm fine” he replied, “just a bit...”
“You look freezing after being in that water” she said cutting him off. “Here, put this on while we eat” she said, throwing him the t-shirt he had brought, “you can take it off when we start walking again.”
“I don't need...” he began to protest, but his goose bumps gave him away and without a further word he pulled it over his head. The material clung to his still wet body as he pulled it down over his chest as a curious and unsatisfying mix of warmth and restriction confronted his return to clothing, the dampness making the t-shirt stick to him.
He smiled as he looked up at her, noticing her dishevelled appearance after her dip in the bog. Her body was still covered with dirt and mud, and her hair was now streaked with it as well. She looked almost wild and animalistic, a look that quite frankly only made her even more beautiful out here in the wild.
“What is it?” Heather asked as she noticed his smile.
“You're filthy” he said laughing. Heather laughed as well, shaking her hair and sending flakes of peat flying in every direction.
“Well, what's the point of running around naked outside” she said, “if you can't get all mucky while you're at it?”
“Very true” he said back as he laughed, deciding not to brush the dirt off his legs after all.
They ate and then rested for a while, Heather pointing out the different animals and plants that were around them. He watched her as she crouched on the ground, her head resting on a hand supported dreamily on a raised knee, her other hand picking flowers to show him. She cupped an especially elegant flower in her hand and talked about its colours in a hypnotic voice, he
r love of nature infecting him more with every word.
“Look at the flowers on this tree” she said, her right arm held above her, pointing to the lowest flowers on the branches above her. “In spring and summer these beautiful flowers bring life to the land, but by autumn the whole place is covered with red berries, changing everything.” She talked of the cycle of nature, how the whole year is beautiful, even the darkest winter, but much of what she said there went over his head, his eyes captivated by every move she made.
Naturist, Red in Tooth & Claw Page 5
