Cycling Club's Naked Milestone - Chapter 5: Chapter 5

The night deepened around us, the campsite illuminated only by the faint glow of scattered lanterns.
The other two men had vanished—maybe retreated to their tents, or perhaps lurking unseen in the shadows, watching.
A cold mountain breeze prickled my skin, and I shivered, tugging uselessly at the thin fabric clinging to me.
Then I stepped into the water.
Warmth flooded through me instantly.
To my surprise, the hot spring was natural, the sharp tang of sulfur hanging in the air. Steam curled around me as the water rose to my chest, wrapping me in liquid heat.
I exhaled, a soft sigh of relief escaping my lips.
"Where are they?"
No sooner had the words left my mouth than a large bubble burst through the golden-tinged water.
Then—two dark heads broke the surface right in front of me.
"Ah—!"
I yelped, slipping backward, my arms flailing—until strong hands caught me around the waist, hauling me up against a solid chest before I could go under.
I clung to him, nails digging into his back as I gasped for air.
Once I'd coughed up the water I'd swallowed, I finally got a good look at my rescuer.
Vincent.
And me—my grip still locked onto him, my fingers leaving faint red marks where I'd clawed into his skin.
"I'm sorry—cough—I didn't mean to—"
It took me a second to catch my breath. When I turned, Sophia was already scolding Nathan.
"I told you Jessica startles easy! If you scare her off, I'm never bringing her again!"
Her tone was teasing, though, the reprimand half-hearted at best.
The men apologized—Vincent even joked that I should scratch him again if it made me feel better.
The tension dissolved after that, the awkwardness of sharing a hot spring with strangers fading.
I relaxed—enough to talk, at least.
The spring wasn't big. I tried inching closer to Sophia, but she rolled her eyes.
"Jessica, I brought you here to have fun. Don't ruin this for me, okay?"
Then, shamelessly, she draped herself over Nathan's arm.
"Be gentle with me tonight, won't you?"
Flushing, I had no choice but to settle beside Vincent.
Something about him set my nerves on edge—not in a bad way, exactly, but in a way that made me hyper-aware of every shift in the water between us.
I kept my distance, gaze drifting into the distance—until Sophia's voice snapped me back.
"Why aren't you prepared yet?"
I blinked—then realized her already skimpy swimsuit was gone.
She smirked, arching her back just enough to make sure everyone noticed.
"We agreed to go all the way. No backing out now."
The men's stares burned, but she didn't flinch. If anything, she seemed to relish it—daring me to keep up.
A competitive spark flared in my chest.
My figure had always been better than hers—especially up top.
If she was going to play this game, I'd make sure I won.
My fingers moved toward the ties of my bikini top—
But someone else was faster.
A large hand caught both of mine effortlessly, while another undid the knots with practiced ease.
"Allow me."