"You're going to freeze your ass off," Rafael said as Persephone rumbled down the empty country road.
The moon hung heavy and full above us, illuminating the landscape in silver light that made everything look slightly unreal.
"Whose idea was it to do this in June?" I shouted against the wind, my arms tight around his waist. Even through his leather jacket, I could feel the warmth of him, a stark contrast to the cool night air whipping past us.
"Yours" he called back, and I could hear the smirk in his voice. "Item number two on the famous bucket list; go skinny dipping."
My stomach flipped with a mixture of excitement and terror. After two days of planning and waiting for the perfect night, we were actually doing this , the first real item on my list.
"There's still time to chicken out," Rafael added as we turned onto a narrow dirt road barely visible among the trees.
"Not a chance Shade." I replied, tightening my grip on him. "I'm committed."
He laughed, the sound vibrating through his back and into my chest. "That's what worries me."
The dirt road wound through dense woods for about a mile before opening to a small clearing. Rafael killed the engine, and sudden silence enveloped us, broken only by the chorus of crickets and the soft hooting of an owl somewhere nearby.
"Welcome to the middle of nowhere," he said, swinging his leg over the bike and offering me a hand.
I took it, trying to ignore the little spark that shot up my arm at his touch. As I dismounted Persephone, I got my first good look at the lake, small but pristine, its surface mirror smooth in the moonlight, reflecting the stars like scattered diamonds.
"Wow," I breathed, momentarily forgetting why we were here. "It's beautiful."
"Worth the trespassing charge?" Rafael asked, pulling a small backpack from Persephone's storage compartment.
"Definitely," I nodded, then gestured to the pack. "What's in there?"
"Towels, flashlight, first aid kit— "
"First aid kit? Planning on me drowning?"
He rolled his eyes. "It's called being prepared, smartass. Also...." He unzipped a side pocket and pulled out a disposable camera. "For documentation purposes."
"You actually bought a camera," I said, strangely touched by the gesture.
"Said we needed evidence, didn't I?" He shrugged like it was nothing, but I could tell he was pleased by my reaction. "Now, rules for tonight."
"There are rules for skinny-dipping?" I raised an eyebrow.
"My skinny-dipping excursion, My rules," he said firmly, dropping the backpack on a flat rock near the water's edge. "First, we take a picture fully clothed. Then one after, wrapped in towels. Nothing in between, obviously."
"Obviously," I echoed, trying to sound cool while my heart hammered against my ribs.
"Second, no looking while the other person is getting in or out of the water."
I nodded, simultaneously relieved and disappointed.
"Third," he continued, "if you start having breathing problems, we're done. Immediately. No arguments."
"Fine," I agreed. "Any other demands, your highness?"
"Just one," Rafael said, suddenly serious. "Be careful. The water's probably cold as fuck, and I don't know how deep it gets. Stay where I can reach you."
The genuine concern in his voice made my chest tighten in a way that had nothing to do with my CF. "I will." I promised.
He nodded, seemingly satisfied, then held up the camera. "Ready for the before shot?"
We posed at the edge of the lake, arms around each other's shoulders like we'd done in countless photos before. But something felt different this time..a new awareness of each other's bodies, of what was about to happen.
"Say 'bad decisions'!" Rafael prompted.
"Bad decisions!" we chorused as the flash went off.
Then came the moment I'd been both dreading and anticipating. Rafael set the camera safely on top of the backpack and turned to me with a slight smirk that didn't quite hide his own nervousness.
"So, who's going first?" he asked.
I squared my shoulders. "I will. Turn around."
He raised an eyebrow, impressed, then obediently turned his back to me. "No peeking, I promise."
My hands trembled slightly as I kicked off my shoes and peeled off my socks.
The night air kissed my bare feet, cool against my skin. Next came my t-shirt, pulled over my head and folded neatly, a stalling tactic, really. My jeans followed, leaving me in just my plain cotton bra and underwear.
This was it. The moment of truth. I glanced at Rafael's back, broad and solid, facing resolutely away from me. Taking a deep breath that caught painfully in my lungs, I unhooked my bra and slid it off, then quickly stepped out of my underwear.
The vulnerability was immediate and intense—standing completely naked under the open sky, the night air caressing every inch of exposed skin. I crossed my arms over my chest, irrationally cold despite the mild June night.
"I'm going in," I called, my voice higher than normal. "Don't turn around yet."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Rafael replied, and I could hear the amusement in his voice.
I waded into the lake, gasping as the cold water lapped at my ankles, then calves, then thighs. By the time it reached my waist, I was shivering, but I pressed on until the water covered my chest.
"Okay..." I called, my teeth chattering slightly. "I'm in. Your turn."
"You good?" he asked, still facing away.
"I'm g- good," I managed. "Just c- cold."
"Don't worry, I'll be right there," he said. "Close your eyes Sunny."
I dutifully shut my eyes, listening to the rustle of clothing being removed. My imagination filled in the details, Rafael unbuttoning his shirt, unzipping his jeans, revealing the body I'd caught glimpses of over the years but never fully seen. The splash of water told me he'd entered the lake, followed by a stream of creative cursing.
"Holy fuck that's cold!" he hissed. "You could have warned me!"
I laughed, eyes still closed. "I literally said it was cold."
"There's cold, and then there's arctic," he grumbled. More splashing, getting closer. "You can open your eyes now. I'm decent. Well, submerged anyway."