Chapter 6
"So what are we going to do today?"
Greg grinned over at her. "Today, my dear, today we're going to take a nice boat ride to the lovely island of Kaua'i. Once there we will be deposited at Na Pali State Park, where we will spend the entire day hiking, picnicing, and just enjoying nature in general. The boat will return at 6:00 sharp. It runs three times a day, by the way, so if you're tired of nature by, say, 2:00 in the afternoon, we can return then."
"Well, I can see you've thought of everything there. Blankets, towels, lots and lots of bottled water and sodas, lots of food too I see. Sunscreen, bug repellant, first aid kit, cell phone. What's in the backpack?"
"More food, Gatorade, change of clothes for both of us, tent in case it rains. Advil, Tums, stuff like that. Condoms." He laughed as she shot him a withering glance. "In case you find yourself suddenly unable to resist my animal magnetism. Hey, it could happen."
"I'll try to restrain myself as best I can."
"Ed's going to take us to the dock in about ten minutes. You about ready?"
"Absolutely. Bring on the jungle adventure."
"Wow." Sara looked around her, then back at the rapidly-departing shuttle boat. "I didn't realize this place was so isolated."
"Yeah, only access to this part of the park is by boat, and there goes the boat, so we definitely have the place to ourselves."
"It's beautiful."
Greg was studying a brochure. "I think the trailhead's up that way." He pointed down the beach. "Want to check it out, or would you rather go for a swim first?'
"Hmmmmm. It's getting hot, so how about a swim?"
"Sounds good."
"You know, I've never been on a beach private enough that you could lose your swimsuit and no one would know."
Greg laughed. "I have actually done that here before, believe it or not."
"And your date didn't mind?" Sara felt an uncomfortable stab of something that couldn't be jealousy as she pictured him skinnydipping with Angela.
"I was alone at the time, so no, I didn't mind."
"I can see the appeal of nudism. It must be an amazingly free feeling, running through the waves with no swimsuit to bind you."
"It was wonderful. I spent the better part of a morning out here naked. Then I finally had to put some clothes on." He laughed. "I didn't want a sunburn, you know, there."
"Yeah, even sunscreen has its limits."
He looked at her speculatively. "Please don't get mad at me for saying this, but if you wanted, we could, you know, bare it. I'm not meaning this in a bad or a sexual way or anything - goes without saying I'd be a complete gentleman."
"I'm sure you would. I'm just not sure I'd be comfortable with that." She sighed. It really sucked when you wanted to do something but were afraid to.
He shrugged. "Your choice. You never know, though. You might like it. Think about it, though - there's really nothing intrinsically sexual about nudity. Clothes are basically just a cultural thing, really, often more about climate than modesty. Nudist colonies are full of people who have rejected the societal rule of always being clothed in the presence of others, and those people are no more or less sexually active than any other group of people. Nudity is really about vulnerability, about being exposed, much more than it's about sexuality. In reality, there's not very many few square inches of cloth between being on the beach in a bikini and being on that same beach naked."
Sara was silent for a few moments. "And you're sure no one else is going to show up?"
"Not before 2:00 pm."
"Turn around."
He grinned. "Yes ma'am. I'll lose mine as you lose yours."
"This is without a doubt the craziest thing I have ever done."
"You'll love it, Sara. Trust me."
Eyes closed and naked, she turned around.
"You can open your eyes now. Having them closed hasn't rendered me unable to see you." She opened her eyes and there was Greg, naked and laughing. "There, now see, you did it and terrible things didn't happen."
"I'm on a beach with no clothes on."
"Yes. We both are. Isn't it wonderful?"
She smirked. "It is."
"Now that we've gotten the uncomfortable part out of the way, let's go in the water!"
They played in the ocean for over an hour, then unfolded a blanket and laid in the sun. Sara was amazed how fast she'd gotten used to being unclothed, also how good it felt to be unencumbered by clothes. Greg had seemed pretty comfortable with the situation from the start. Despite the fairly shocking network of raised, discolored scars that covered most of his back and neck he seemed comfortable baring himself to her, and she had quickly adopted the same matter-of-fact attitude to their shared state of undress.
Sara turned to Greg with a grin. "Let's move here when we win the lottery."
"Absolutely with you on that. This is the life."
"No telling the people at work you had me naked on the beach."
He sighed in mock horror. "Sara! I am a gentleman. I wouldn't do that. Being naked in public is a private matter. We wouldn't want the others to know. Although if Catherine was with us, she would bare it right along with us."
Sara nodded. "So would Warrick."
"Nicky wouldn't. Neither would Grissom. Which is good, because I'm guessing Griss has so much hair on his back he could pass for a grizzly with a perm."
Sara laughed. "Doc Robbins would do it."
"Hell yeah. Archie and David wouldn't. Jackie totally would, though."
"In a minute. Brass wouldn't, and I'm so very glad."
"Bobby D might."
Sara wrinkled her nose. "Nah."
"You don't think so?"
"No. Hodges just might, though."
"Ewww! Thanks for that lovely mental image. Yet again, I celebrate the fact that he isn't here."
"Mia absolutely wouldn't."
Greg laughed. "Oh, no, no. And not out of modesty, either. She'd keep her clothes on because the outdoors has germs in it."
"She's sweet, but she's definitely obsessive-compulsive."
Greg laughed. "You think?" He frowned. "I wonder if she ever has sex."
"Greg!"
"No, I'm serious. Because you can give the python a raincoat, but what about kissing? How about all the other touching that goes along with it? This is a woman who refuses to eat food prepared by other people because a few microscopic droplets of saliva might have gotten onto it. How could she handle french kissing, let alone, you know, all the other stuff?"
Sara shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe she compartmentalizes. Maybe it doesn't bother her with someone she's in a relationship with."
"Maybe." He grabbed her hand. "Ready for another dip?"
"Absolutely. Let's go."