It was a timely reminder of where I was and why. And neither had anything to do with Tommy. Taking Trudy’s lead, I inhaled deeply, the briny air filling my lungs. It was like taking a broom to the corners of my mind, sweeping away the cobwebs and dust.
‘I really do,’ I replied. ‘It’s invigorating.’
‘Ooh, good word. Yes,invigorating.’ Trudy was quiet for a moment, then said, ‘So…’
Uh-oh. It was obvious I was about to be in the hotseat.
‘Sorry to interrupt,’ said Niki, suddenly appearing before us. Not that I minded – she was saving me from an impending inquisition.
‘No problem,’ I said. ‘What’s up?’
‘Now that we’re under sail, it’s time to get some pics of you in your togs.’
‘Togs?’
‘Yeah, your swimmers.’
‘Oh right, yes.’ I rummaged in my beach tote and took out my bikini. ‘Where can I get changed?’
‘Oh, um… Actually, we’ve got some for you downstairs – in one of the cabins.’
‘Okay. And they’re in my size?’
She nodded. ‘I spoke to your assistant. It’s for the collab with Solari Swimwear,’ she explained, her pitch rising at the end.
‘Oh, that’s right,’ I said, recalling the marketing plan. I broke into a warm smile. ‘Let’s go see, shall we?’
Less than a minute later, as my eyes adjusted to the low light below deck, I started questioning the whole ‘collab’ thing. These weren’t bikini tops. They were pasties held together with string. And the bottoms weren’t much better.
‘Erm… Are there any other options?’ I asked, picking up one of the bottoms from the bed. What I presumed was the front was the size of a corn chip.
‘Oh yeah, for sure,’ she said. ‘They also sent over lime green and a floral design. But we figured these colours work best with the Aetheria logo. And you can choose.’
Having missed my point entirely, she gave me an encouraging thumbs up and left me to get changed. There were three bikinis laid out on the bed – identical, save for the colour – so with a sigh, I chose the aqua-coloured one and put it on.
There was a full-length mirror on the back of the cabin door and I turned this way and that, regarding myself with apprehension. The top barely covered my nipples – forget ‘side boob’, I had ‘all boob’ – absolutelynothingleft to the imagination. And my arse was completely on display, the thin strip of fabric flossing my cheeks. Oh, and the corn chip? Well, let’s just say it was a good thing I was freshly waxed.
I’ve never been shy about showing skin, but there’s body confidence and there’s full-frontal insanity. I was essentially wearing dental floss with delusions of grandeur.
‘It’s just a few photos and then you can put your clothes back on,’ I told my reflection.
The boat lurched, tilting from one side to the other. We must have been tacking – or jibing – I couldn’t remember which was which. Not that it mattered. Whichever one it was sent me flying, hurling me onto the bed right as Niki opened the cabin door.
‘Oh, sorry!’ she squealed, averting her eyes. And no wonder. My legs were splayed and one of the nipple covers was askew. I’d shown less of my body to my waxing technician. ‘I did knock,’ she added apologetically, which was technically true – even though she’d knocked and opened the door at the same time.Nevera good idea.
I clambered off the bed and righted the three triangles of fabric, then took in a deep, bracing breath. I quickly checked my reflection again, smoothing an errant lock of hair, and gave her a winning smile.
‘All good. Let’s get those shots.’
She returned the smile with less confidence than I was pretending to have, and I followed her up onto the deck. I pointedly avoided looking at Tommy, who was standing at the helm, but in my periphery, I caught him openly gawping for a good five seconds before he composed himself.
Good, I thought,let him.I may have been this side of nude, but he could fill in the rest from memory.
‘That’s quite the bathing suit!’ Trudy exclaimed as I passed, unmissable admiration in her voice.
‘Thanks, Trudy,’ I replied over my shoulder.
Minh, who had been chatting with Dale, scrambled to keep up with me and Niki as she led the way to the bow.
