"Uh, yeah, that's kind of the point." He laughed, sounding and looking a bit uncomfortable. "This is a naturist resort."
I threw my hands up, huffing. "Like that explains it?"
"Well, sure it does."
Seriously? He thought that explained the naked people scarfing down burgers and fries.
I stalked out into the hallway where I couldn't see into the dining hall anymore. Were my eyes on fire from what I'd seen? No, they were dry and hot because I'd been gaping at those people for...how long? An hour was what it felt like.
Oliver followed me. "I'm confused. Why are you so upset that all the naturists are naked?"
"Because---" I flapped my arms and huffed again. "Public nudity is illegal."
"This isn't public. It's a private resort." He held up his hands, his tone conciliatory. "Listen, you can dress for meals. Nobody will care."
"Oh, how generous." Christ, I sounded like a haughty bitch. How was I supposed to react to all of this? I scrunched up my face so hard my eyes watered. My lip probably curled. "I'm allowed to wear clothes if I want. Shouldn't you be more concerned about disturbing all the other guests who don't want to eat surrounded by naked people?"
"Um, those are all the other guests in there."
"Everyone eats in the nude?" What bizarre alternate reality had I stumbled into? I grasped my head in my hands, struggling to make sense of...anything. "What kind of place is this?"
"It's a naturist resort." He touched my arm again. "Relax. This is a clothing-optional resort, not a clothes-free one. You can take your time getting acclimated before you ditch the clothes. You haven't done this much, have you?"
"Done what?"
"Gone nude."
What on earth was he talking about?
I lowered my hands, narrowing my gaze on him. "What do you mean it's a clothing-optional resort? I thought this was a naturist retreat."
"It is." He raised his brows. "What exactly do you think a naturist resort is?"
"A place where people go to enjoy nature and see the wildlife."
He gave me a long-suffering look. "Miss Severins, you're at a nudist resort."
My eyes burned again, probably because I'd gone bug-eyed again. A new wave of icy shock crashed over me. My knees wobbled, and my face went subzero cold.
And I fainted.
Oliver caught me. "Miss Severins?"
My lids fluttered open, and I gazed into his eyes, now visible thanks to the lack of glare inside the building. He had gorgeous amber eyes. Cradled in his arms, I said, "Nudist?"
"Yeah, that's right. Some of us prefer naturist, though."
I closed my eyes and moaned.
He helped me to my feet. "How did you not know? It says right on our website, and on every travel site where we're listed."
"Never saw any website. I hired a travel agent to book my vacation. She said this was a place where birdwatchers and other nature lovers come to enjoy the outdoors."
"Sorry. I don't know where she got that idea." He glanced at my suitcases, where he'd dropped them on the floor when he hurried to my rescue. "You want to go home right away?"
"I can't." I threw head my back and moaned again. "I bought nonrefundable, round-trip airline tickets. Are there any motels in town?"
"Sure, but they're all booked up. The Renaissance fair is this week."