Naked
827 Words
Josh and Miles walked beside me through a narrow wooden path leading away from the main resort. The snow crunched under our boots, and soft golden lights lined the walkway. Everything felt calm, untouched, almost unreal. The cold air bit at my cheeks, but it didn’t hurt. It felt clean, like something washing through my chest and clearing the heaviness there.
After a short walk, they stopped in front of a private cabin built from polished dark wood and framed with tall glass windows.
“Here you go,” Miles said, placing my suitcase gently by the porch. “Your cabin for the holiday.”
Josh smiled warmly. “Dinner will be served in an hour. Take your time to freshen up. If you need anything at all, just press the call button on the living room wall.”
I nodded softly. “Thank you. Really.”
Both men exchanged a glance, then Josh dipped his head politely. “We hope you find peace here.”
“We’ll see you at dinner,” Miles added with a half-smile before they walked away.
The moment they disappeared behind the snowy trees, I turned back to the cabin. A small breath escaped my lips as I stepped inside.
The interior looked like something from a luxury magazine.
The first thing that caught my eye was the stone fireplace stretching from floor to ceiling. Its warm glow filled the room, casting soft light across the wooden floors and fur rugs. The living room opened into a full glass wall that revealed the snow-covered mountains outside. The scenery took my breath away. It felt like standing inside a postcard.
I walked deeper in, touching things gently with my fingers, almost afraid they weren’t real. Everything was warm and beautiful. The calmness of the space wrapped around me like a blanket.
When I reached the bedroom and laid a hand on the massive bed, curiosity made me sit down for a moment.
The mattress hugged me instantly.
The softness sank under my weight, warm and inviting, and for a moment — just one moment — I forgot everything. The embarrassment. The pain. The video. Charles’ voice.
This bed felt safer than my own thoughts.
I closed my eyes for a second… then two… then more. I didn’t even realize how long I stayed there until I opened them again with a small gasp.
“Dinner,” I whispered. “I need to get ready.”
I forced myself up and walked into the bathroom.
If the cabin was beautiful, the bathroom was heavenly.
A walk-in layout. Heated floors. A full glass shower. A private sauna. And in the center, a huge round hot tub filled with warm bubbling water and petals floating on the surface. Soft lights glowed from the corners, giving everything a golden, dreamy feel.
My chest loosened as I stared at it.
Maybe this was what healing looked like.
I removed my clothes slowly, letting the warmth in the room wrap around my bare skin. When I stepped into the tub, the heat spread through me instantly. My muscles relaxed as if someone had lifted a hundred pounds off my shoulders. Water hugged my body, soft and soothing. I leaned my head on the rim and closed my eyes.
For the first time in days, I felt calm.
The water hummed around me, bubbles rising gently, relaxing every tense spot in my body. The warmth seeped into the cracks inside me where heartbreak had settled. My breathing evened out. My mind quieted. Time slipped away without me noticing.
I didn’t know how long I floated there.
Five minutes.
Ten.
Twenty.
An hour?
Everything felt soft. Peaceful.
Until—
A soft click echoed through the bathroom.
I didn’t react at first. I thought it was the heater or the water system.
But then I heard footsteps.
Slow. Confident. Close.
My eyes snapped open.
The bathroom door was open.
And standing in the doorway was a man.
Tall. Broad shoulders. Wet black hair. A dark sweater clinging to his body. And piercing blue eyes locked on me.
A stranger.
A breathtaking, rugged, delicious-looking stranger.
But a stranger.
His gaze froze on my naked body in the tub, and time stopped between us.
My mouth opened, but no sound came for a moment. My heart slammed against my ribs. My hands shot to my chest in pure panic as my brain caught up with what my eyes were seeing.
I was naked.
Fully naked.
In a tub.
And he was just standing there.
Watching.
His lips parted slightly, like he wasn’t expecting this either. His expression flickered — surprise, confusion, then something unreadable.
My breath hitched.
“I— I—” I stumbled, trying to find words, but my panic only grew.
Then reality hit me like cold air.
I was naked.
A man was staring.
The scream ripped out of my throat before I even realized it.
“AHHHHHHHHH!”
- Writer
