Even Suave seemed to be more cheerful than usual, and that was something, seeing that she was generally a happy person, a whole lot chirpier than Silken ever was. Maybe her happiness with Max was rubbing off on her sister. Maybe on everyone around her? She almost laughed at that thought. She, Silken McCullen, a bundle of joy. Too funny.
Then out of the blue one day, just as the maples and oaks began to turn yellow in their own subdued celebration of a California autumn, Max made a brilliant suggestion. “I heard the camp sites in California are pretty good. What say we try one out this weekend?”
“I’m in.” Silken beamed at him. “Jalama’s great. Right on the beach.”
Max shook his head. “Naw. Too tame. I want something with a bit more challenge and definitely more wildlife. I hear Anza-Borrego's not bad." Then he reached out and pulled her into him. “They’ve got five hundred miles of dirt roads and hiking trails. And when we get tired, we set up camp and make love under the stars.”
Silken snorted but she was laughing, too. “Yeah, with kit foxes and iguanas watching.” Then she shuddered. “And rattlesnakes.”
Max tilted his head. “Chicken?” He knew just the buttons to push to get her to react.
“Never,” she said, her voice brimming with challenge. Then she shook her head. “Not chicken, just sensible.”
Max cocked an eyebrow. “Of course.”
“Okay, okay, I’m chicken. But it’s only because snakes creep me out.” She wrapped her arms around his waist, enjoying the closeness and the warmth of his legs pressed against hers. “Why don’t we compromise?” she asked. “Anza-Borrego’s at least a couple of hours drive away but Cuyamaca is maybe half that. And it’s got a swimmable lake.” She batted her eyes at him and anybody watching would think she was promising him a whole lot more than just a hike in the woods.
“I’ll consider it,” Max said, with a smirk of amusement, “if you say you’ll go skinny-dipping with me in that swimmable lake you promised.”
“Deal,” she said with a laugh, “as long as we do it at night. I may be daring but I’m no exhibitionist.”
“Aaw, and there I was thinking I’d get a free show.”
Silken leaned into him and put her lips close to Max’s ear. “You can get a show any time,” she whispered, “your own personal and private striptease.”
When Silken told Suave about the upcoming camping trip, her sister immediately began helping her plan. “Don’t forget your toothbrush,” she said. “Once you’re all the way up in the mountains you won't be able to run to the store to get anything.” Then she plopped down on the bed and reached for the notepad on the nightstand. “Now let’s see…sleeping bag, pillows, tent, and anti-itch cream. You never know when that will come in handy.” She tapped the pen against her lips and stared off into space. “What else? Oh yes, aspirin…”
“Suave, you don’t have to write me a list. I’ve been on a camping trip before.” Silken reached out to take the notepad from her but her sister swiped it out of reach.
Suave rolled her eyes. “Yeah, when you were fourteen. And that was with the girl scouts. You had camp leaders to keep you on track. Now you’re on your own.”
“Max will be with me.”
“Yeah, but he’s a man.” Suave shook her head. “Men are clueless when it comes to packing. Don’t you know that?”
Silken shrugged. “I guess I didn’t.” Then she headed for the door. “I’m running out to Bitter + Sweet to get some ice cream. Want to come?”
Suave shook her head, not even bothering to look up from her paper. “No,” she said absentmindedly, “I want to finish this.” She put her pinky finger to her lips and began to nibble on her nail. “Warm socks, raincoat…” She was talking to herself like she’d forgotten Silken was even there.
Silken only smiled and pulled the door closed. There was no use trying to talk to Suave when she was absorbed in a task. She’d just surprise her with ice cream from the store. She’d bring back her favorite flavor – Tahitian Vanilla.
When Friday evening came, Max picked her up at the apartment in a BMW SUV. He hopped out, gave Silken a swift kiss then grabbed her camping gear and threw them in the back. Then he held the door open for her. “Ready to roll?”
“Ready like Freddie,” she said as she hoisted herself up onto the seat.
“Like who?”
She laughed. “Never mind. Just something Suave and I used to say when we were kids.”
The drive out to the camp started out slow on a highway clogged with weekenders heading out on various excursions, and a forty-five minute journey ended up taking close to an hour and a half. By the time they made it to the camp grounds the sun had long set behind the mountains and the shadows of night covered the terrain. They ended up having to pitch their tent by the light of the moon and the battery-powered lantern that Max had packed. And the darkness, with its quiet intimacy, made things that much more special.
That night as they snuggled in their cozy tent Silken and Max made sweet love to the ribbits of frogs calling out in the trees and the chirps of crickets in the bushes. And long after they’d sated their hunger they lay wrapped in each other’s arms, Silken lying na**d on top of her man, his hands warming her body as he ran it up and down her back. It was a different experience, a refreshing one. Tonight, lying na**d out in the wild, they were as one with nature itself.
Then, just as Silken was beginning to drift off, Max whispered in her ear. “Ready for skinny-dipping?”
Silken opened her eyes a crack then closed them again. She yawned then snuggled deeper into Max’s arms. "This feels too good,” she muttered. “I’m not moving one inch.”
Silken didn’t touch the water till Saturday morning when the sun was high in the sky. She woke to a crackling sound and the smell of bacon in the air. When she crawled out of the tent, Max’s jacket wrapped around her, she found him crouched around a small fire, busily frying up breakfast.