Alive, that's how I felt. Aching and tingling in all the right places. The sight of his nude body did not help matters.
"I'm fine," I said. "Thank you for making me breakfast. I'll be there in a minute, after I get dressed."
"Don't dress on my account." He raked his hot gaze over my body. "You can wear nothing at all. I'm a nudist, remember?"
Right. Hard to forget that fact. Even if I'd been tempted to go naked this morning, with him, it was a bad idea.
Tempted? I wanted to tear my nightie off right this instant.
"I'll, ah, see you in a few minutes," I said. "In the kitchen."
"Whatever you want." He sauntered out of my bedroom.
How would I survive two weeks with him? Quentin had better finish repairing Val's room in the guest house fast.
I dressed in my favorite shorts and a mint-green crop top, then joined Val in the kitchen.
He'd cooked me a huge breakfast—an omelet stuffed chock-full of veggies, sausage, and three kinds of cheese. A plate of buttered toast waited beside my breakfast platter, with jars of every kind of jam and jelly I owned lined up next to it. He'd made hash browns too, plus adorable silver dollar pancakes.
I didn't even mind that he'd made breakfast while naked. Since this was a private meal, rather than one for the other guests, I decided he hadn't violated the health code.
After gobbling up my breakfast, I insisted on washing the dishes.
"I'll allow it," Val said, "only if you let me help you get breakfast ready for the guests."
"For the millionth time, youarea guest."
"No, I'm your slave."
The tone of his voice, deep and rumbly, told me he meant "slave" in a different way from what most people would've meant. Later today, I'd photograph his gorgeous, nude body—just the two of us in my little studio, inside this house, away from the other guests. Having him as my slave? That made my tummy flutter.
"Fine," I said. "You can be my breakfast assistant if you get dressed first. Straight after that, though, I have to prepare my studio for the portrait sessions."
"I can help—"
"You're sweet to offer, but I prefer to get things set up on my own." I hopped off my stool. "You came here to be nude and free, but you've spent half the time in clothes because you insist on helping out. I feel like I've cramped your style."
"There's no cramping. I like assisting you."
"As a favor to me, why don't you hang out with the other guests until it's your turn in the studio?"
He bowed from the waist. "If that's what you want,linda, your slave will obey."
Since he'd been the last to sign up for a session, he'd gotten the last time slot. I would photograph him after everyone else, meaning I would have no easy excuse to cut the session short. Did I want to cut it short? Why was I trying so hard to avoid having sex with him? We were both adults. No one but his family knew he'd come here. His wild life would not tarnish mine, which meant I had no excuses left.
Right, because that had worked out so well before.
The last time I'd engaged in casual sex, it had triggered a hairy situation. Quentin still seemed to think he owned me. And the more I thought about what Val had said, about Quentin taking advantage of me in my tipsy state, the more I wondered if he was right.
Val wouldn't be like Quentin. He would stay for two weeks and go home. We would never see each other again.
Quentin I had to look at every day.
Maybe I should've fired Quentin, but firing an employee I'd slept with might trigger legal ramifications I couldn't afford. Besides, Quentin did his job very well and was the only handyman I'd found who didn't mind working at a nudist resort.
Five hours later, Val and I had taken care of breakfast for the guests and I had photographed a dozen of them. The portraits weren't sexual, but rather just like regular portraits somebody might get at a regular photo studio. The only difference was my subjects were naked.
My little studio occupied a space that had originally served as a bedroom. The room featured one curtained window, various lights plus an umbrella, several backgrounds I could set up and swap out quickly, a fan to offset the heat from the lights, and extra power outlets I'd had installed to accommodate my equipment. If my guests needed a drink during our shoots, I went to the kitchen to get it for them. A stereo tucked into the corner provided mood music. I preferred something relaxing to keep my guests in a good mood.