"I think I'll go for a hike up the mountain a little farther while you boys get the fire going. Carly, want to come with me?"
The question was directed at my younger brother Josh's girlfriend, who was three years his junior having just turned 18 the week before. Carly and Josh had decided to join me and my boyfriend Brett on our yearly camping trip, and tonight was the first night we'd be spending out in the wilderness. Our tents had already been set up and the guys were getting ready to build the fire we'd be cooking dinner over tonight. After a long day of hiking up the mountain, I needed to take off for a while and relax. I figured Carly needed to do the same, and I was correct when she accepted my invitation.
"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Carly replied. We both grabbed our backpacks and took off on the little-used trail that wound its way upward.
"Be back in an hour or so," I called over my shoulder and winked at Brett as he looked up and waved to the two of us.
It was strange how well Carly and I had gotten along on this trip so far. We were as different as night and day, with the only thing the two of us having in common being my brother. Carly was seven inches shorter than my 5'9", and she was dark and petite while I was blonde and all legs. Her eyes were a dark chocolate brown and mine a sparkling emerald green. The one thing I envied most about Carly was that she was all curves. My high, firm 34B breasts paled in comparison to her full 36D chest. My job as a personal trainer kept my body lean and muscular, while she was all soft woman. I could definitely see why my brother was so head-over-heels for her.
Carly and I made small talk as we casually followed the trail higher up the mountain. The trees did little to block out the sun, and between the hike and the afternoon sunshine I was getting pretty warm. I made short work of removing my t-shirt as we continued to walk and talk, until I was wearing only a pair of cut-off jean shorts and my bikini top. Carly quickly followed suit until she was dressed in the same.
As we rounded a corner in the trail I spotted a clearing of sorts in the distance that looked like a good place to rest for a little bit.
"Hey Carly, why don't we stop and rest for a little bit, and then we can head back," I suggested.
"Okay, Kate. Sounds good to me," Carly replied.
I lead the way off the trail to the clearing I had spotted. It was more like a little hideaway than a clearing really. The trees formed an almost perfect circle around a bed of lush grass and the sun shone down and bathed everything in warm light. It seemed as if we had entered another world as we stepped into the clearing.
There was no way I was going to let sunshine like this pass me by, so I quickly took off my shorts and lay down on my back in my bikini to soak up the rays. I looked up to find Carly standing at the edge of the clearing just staring at me.
"Come on, lay down next to me and take advantage of this sun! It's wonderful. We'll head back in a little while. I'm sure the boys won't miss us if we're gone a little longer," I said to her.
"Um, okay." Carly said and removed her shorts as well. She was wearing a much more conservative bikini than I was, and she laid down next to me on the grass. I closed my eyes again but couldn't fight the feeling that I was being watched. I opened them to find Carly staring at me once again.
"Are you all right?" I asked. "You're just staring at me."