"Oh!"
They looked at each other, then around them. It hadn't occurred to them that something like that needed to be specifically pointed out, but now they considered their route of small isolated islands, some of them known for their deeply religious inhabitants, with new eyes.
"Okay then," Lena said, eyes twinkling. "Should we go for gay-friendly activities which aren't physically demanding?"
"I'm in fair shape," Bella exclaimed.
"You are, sure. But with that alcohol intake we better not risk it."
Bella laughed, then flinched at the sting it caused in her head.
"Okay! You pick the activities. I'll come along and be your arm candy."
—#—#—#—#—#—
By late afternoon, both Lena and Bella longed to go for a swim. They had taken a nap, eaten lunch, and the afternoon would have been perfect for lazily tanning beside the pool if it wasn't for the lack of bathing suit. The cabins were comfortable and air conditioned, but to stay inside felt foolish on such a perfect tropical day.
Bella looked up from her phone when Lena stood, puffed her chest in determination, and started to pack beach towels and sunscreen to a striped beach bag. Was she going to go ahead and leave her alone in the cabin? Their eyes met, but Lena didn't say anything.
When the bag was packed, Lena came to stand in front of Bella, standing between her and the sun when she sat on the balcony chair with her phone. She extended her hand and eyed Bella with a challenge in her eyes.
"What? You're blocking my sun."
"Bella Lampanella!" Lena said in the sing-song rhyme that had always irritated Bella immensely. "My friend! I hereby dare you to follow me and do as I bid!"
Bella raised her eyebrows. "You wouldn't!"
"I absolutely would!"
They regarded each other, then giggled. Bella took Lena's hand and let her pull her to her feet. Bella had been a boisterous kid, always trying to keep up with her big brothers who were three and four years older than her. She had been pulled into many crazy stunts over the years on the premise of a dare. It had started as a way for the boys to show her her place, but she had never failed to follow through, and it had transformed into a tool for gaining their—and their friends'—grudging acceptance of her. And it earned her quite a reputation in school.
Lena knew this about her. In their youth, they had added a few unspoken rules to the concept of a dare. It was a tool to be used wisely, and once someone evoked a dare, whether it was completed or not, the object of the dare had the next call. It had been years since their last dare, since it was Lena's turn, and she was such a reserved and controlled person she didn't want to give out that power to her more reckless friend. Bella had all but forgotten the fun they used to have with it.
"Where are you taking me?" Bella asked.
Lena squeezed her hand. "You want it to be a surprise?"
Bella studied her friend's face, simultaneously tempted and terrified. "Yes!"
She closed her eyes and let Lena walk her to the elevator on their deck. Inside, its movement felt stronger without her vision. She wondered about the bag. Where could they be heading? The spa? But didn't masseurs have their own towels?
Lena walked her along a corridor, noting where there was a step or she needed to mind the rail. Eventually they emerged outside. Bella felt the sun on her skin and the gentle, tropical breeze in her hair.
Lena was doing something; Bella could hear shuffling and cloth-like sounds and bit her lip nervously. This couldn't be the nudist deck could it? She wouldn't do that to her!
Finally, after several lifetimes, Lena came to stand in front of her, touching her arm to let her know where she was. "Ready?"
Bella nodded. Lena touched her cheeks, and she jerked at the unexpected touch. Then she realized Lena was slipping sunglasses on her, guiding them behind her ears.
"Andddd... open your eyes!" Lena said.
Bella looked around. It
was
the nudist deck. Lena had reserved two sun loungers, spreading their beach towels on them. She smiled and gestured to the one that was on the more secluded spot, almost hidden behind a huge potted plant. Bella's mouth formed an o and her eyes turned to follow two older gay guys passing by. Dear god, she'd never seen testicles swing so low! Or be so hairy!
She tore her gaze away and looked at Lena, who had an exaggerated innocent look on her face. She had Bella pinned, and she knew it. She couldn't back away from a dare. She never had. Not even the ones that had terrified her. And this wasn't terrifying, this was merely embarrassing.
"You want me to get naked in front of all these people?"
Lena nodded. "Just lie down. I'll spread sunscreen on your back."
Bella looked around. The nudist area was fenced off the rest of the ship's deck by a woven reed wall. It had a small bar, a small swimming pool the shape of a kidney, and a few lounge chairs scattered around. Besides the gay couple, who were chatting with the bartender, there was perhaps ten other people present. Nobody seemed interested in her or Lena. One couple was making out in the pool, but others were sunbathing, reading, discussing or just sipping drinks.
"Nobody knows you here," Lena said. "And even if they did, so what?"
Bella harrumphed. She had lost and she knew it. Briskly, she undressed, tossing her sundress, her industrial strength bra and panties in a pile next to their bag. Then she stood before her friend, flushed and defiant, staring into her big, dark eyes. She didn't dare to look around to see if any of the others were looking at her. She felt the sun on her skin, all of her skin, and the breeze felt exquisite. She took a breath, trying to calm herself, and felt the sweat already forming under her saggy boobs.
Lena gestured towards the sun lounger, suntan lotion in one hand. "Lay on your tummy."
Bella stretched out carefully, positioning her breasts so they wouldn't press uncomfortably. She felt them spreading out from under her sides and blushed. The sunglasses, which were Lena's and the larger-than-life cat lady type Bella herself never would've dared to buy, pressed uncomfortably. She took them off and closed her eyes instead, her cheek pressing against the soft towel under her. The sun felt so incredibly warm on her back. She tensed, in anticipation of cool sunscreen getting squirted on her sunbaked skin, but that never came. Lena warmed the lotion on her hands first, and when she touched Bella, she was deliberate and gentle.
Lena spread the lotion slowly and evenly, taking time to massage her friend's shoulders while doing it. She went through each arm in turn, covering them all over while Bella stretched them obediently. Her back was next, and Lena even did the boobs spilling from beneath her. When Lena approached her wide ass, Bella started to say something but Lena shushed her and continued with the same slow, deliberate pace, massaging her ass cheeks firmly. Bella relaxed into her touch and listened to the shivers it ignited inside her.
It had been a long time since she'd been touched so slowly and patiently. Hers and Eli's sex life had dwindled in recent years, and after the twins it had never really recovered. The birth was difficult, and despite doctors telling her everything seemed fine, she knew she had suffered damage of some kind. Everything still basically worked—she didn't pee herself, and she could still orgasm—but her pussy just wasn't the same. She didn't care if it seemed fine. She knew it wasn't the same.
Bella stirred from her pondering when Lena finished with her feet and moved away.
"Thanks honey, that was amazing," she murmured into the towel. "Want me to do you now?"
"You just relax," Lena said. "I'll lie on my back first. I can do the front myself."
Bella wondered idly if that was to keep her calm and relaxed, now that she didn't have to remember she was naked or compare her body to Lena's. She wasn't sure Lena knew how much Bella admired and envied her body, though. They had had those conversations back when they were young, and Lena had said she envied Bella's curves and feminine appearance, but that was long ago and Lena had definitely aged better than she had.
After an indeterminable time, Lena moved beside her. "Okay, time to turn over," she said.
Bella stretched. "Yeah, have to bake evenly on both sides."
She yawned and turned clumsily on her side. "God, I almost fell asleep."
"Want me to do your front? Or will you do it yourself?"
