But that damn phone rang again.
Ollie broke the kiss and huffed. "Can't anybody get along without us for one frigging hour?"
"I think it's only been, like, fifteen minutes."
"But I was planning to make love to you for another forty-five minutes, at the very least."
I grinned.
He scowled as he scrambled around on his knees to find our clothes, then dug in various pockets until he found the ringing phone. He handed it to me. "It's yours. Says 'Mom' on the caller ID."
"Oh." I took the phone and answered it. "Mom?"
"Mara, where on earth are you? Eve and Val let us into the house, but you're not here. We were getting worried."
"Ollie and I went for a walk. We'll be back in a little while."
"Mara..." Her voice took on a sheepish tone I'd never heard before. "There's something I meant to tell you, but after that naked man frightened you, I forgot."
"What is it?"
The silence that followed my question dragged on for several seconds. I knew we hadn't been disconnected thanks to the background noises of men's voices. I couldn't make out what they were saying.
"Mara," Mom began, still sounding slightly embarrassed, "it's about Nico. Before your father and I left Philadelphia, I called him."
"Nico? Why would you do that?"
"I was convinced you were in some sort of trouble, and I knew he wanted you back. So I thought he might be able to talk you into coming home." She hesitated, sighing. "Nico just got here. He's with us in the caretaker's house."
"What?" I almost shrieked that word. My skin went cold, and I was pretty sure my blood froze to solid ice. "You invited my ex-husband to come here? Like it's some kind of intervention for your crazy daughter?"
"Yes. I'm sorry. But you'd better get back here before Nico takes off into the woods to look for you."
Shit. He would do that, for sure. Nico was exactly the kind of jackass who believed he knew what was best for me, and finding out I'd come to a nudist resort would set him off for sure.
"Okay, I'm coming."
I hung up on my mom and rushed to get my clothes on.
"What's wrong?" Ollie asked.
"My---" I paused in yanking my clothes on and tried to calm my racing heart, but I failed. "My ex-husband is here. I have to get back to the house before he calls the state police or who knows what to come search for me."
I didn't wait for Ollie. Once I was dressed, I took off down the trail, headed for the house.
Nico. Here. Could things get any worse?
Chapter Eighteen
Ollie
Mara took off at a dead run. I scrambled to get my clothes on and gave up on tucking my shirt in, determined to keep up with her. I had longer legs, so I caught up to Mara in a few seconds, despite the time it had taken to get dressed. Only when we reached the trailhead, behind the little house, did I realize I'd forgotten my shoes.
She slid to a stop, almost falling over in the process.
I grabbed her arms to keep her from tumbling to the ground.
Gasping for air, she laid a hand on her chest. Her eyes were big, her mouth hung open, and she stared at the house like it might turn into a giant monster and squash her with its foot.