A Vacation Surprise

"It took my grandparents five years to accept me being a lesbian."

"Do I need to give him more time?"

"Maybe."

"Well, it's too late now. I told him I wouldn't be meeting him again without you being there. I love you, and he needs to realize that this is forever and not a phase I'm going through."

Natalie leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek. It took way too much willpower to not take a step away from the kiss. "You did promise me that this was for eternity, my love. I'm going to hold you to that."

"I keep my promises." Ris affected her most affable smile.

They walked up an incline from the walkway by the water and emerged onto the river-bisected quaint downtown district. For a few blocks stretching in either direction, some shops and restaurants were not yet swarmed with tourists this early morning. Many new names were attached to the signs Rissa didn't remember from her handful of family excursions to the mountains. After walking a couple blocks from the river, Ris saw her first goal. The little bakery with her favorite croissants was now named Artie's instead of Cathy's and had expanded into the shop next door. The word coffee was now prominently displayed above the word bakery on the sign.

"It's not Cathy's anymore," Rissa stated with sorrow in her voice. Cathy's had been a mainstay of their trips up here. "I wonder if they still have croissants?" Ris mused almost to herself.

"Let me go get us some breakfast while you wrangle Chess. It's my treat." Nat handed off Chester's lead.

"You know it all comes from the same bank account." Ris smiled as her wife crossed the street. Nat responded by turning around and sticking her tongue out at Rissa. "But, thank you, babe. Chester and I are going to check out the rafting situation."

A lot about the small town looked the same as when she was over a decade younger. The last time they came up here was the summer preceding her senior year in high school. She grimaced a little that Ris had started that vacation, angry about having to go along. There had seemed like so many things that she was missing out on back home, and she had to spend time with her family. It took a heart-to-heart talk with Chloe, her older sister, to knock her out of the funk.

On that vacation, Keith, her younger half-brother, had goaded her into rafting. Clarissa loved it so much that she had talked her mom and stepdad into taking another trip down the river. When they had started to conspire about how to take advantage of Joakim driving into Denver for a conference, Ris suggested this city. If everything went well, it would be almost halfway between the coast where Joakim and his family lived and back home. Nat and Ris had to drive a couple hours longer, but it was not too onerous.

The city was surrounded by a glut of gorgeous mountains and hiking paths, though she was unsure how much a seven-month-old would be at home on the trails. Clarissa collected pamphlets and information from a series of little, occupied kiosks. Jeep tours were available, but maybe renting their own would be better so they could plan around her niece. Rafting was offered, but not tomorrow. Sunday was already booked up entirely at every stop. Monday morning before Joakim, Blake, and baby Miranda rolled into town seemed like the best prospect for a half-day journey on the river. Ris would have to double-check with Nat before signing them up.

Chester was delighted as almost every family walking by asked if they could pet him. The fluffy little clown was in heaven. He thrived on doses of attention from tiny humans. Ris smiled; he would be great with children when she and Nat had a family.

"Find anything?" Natalie reappeared and held a cold brew cup of coffee with a caramel and toffee scent wafting from it.

"Yeah, no rafting tomorrow, though. Everything's booked up. We could go Monday morning."

"That should work." The wax paper pouch Natalie handed her was far denser than a croissant. "It's a cookie. They're amazing. No croissants, though; the new owner says it was the one thing he couldn't get down. He was Cathy's protégé and bought the place from her." Nat answered a question that Ris had yet to vocalize.

Rissa took a bite of the cookie, slightly suspicious of the new sugary breakfast. It was buttery and not too sweet, with just enough chew to the treat. "Yum, this is good. I'm going to miss the croissants."

"Then, I got some good news for you about where we'll have dinner tonight."

Natalie -- A few minutes earlier

The coffee shop was abuzz with activity as Nat stepped into the door. A couple was sipping coffees and munching on pastries as they were laughing about something. They were the only other patrons in the establishment. The walls were decorated with prints of the mountains and people on the river. Whoever had taken the images had a great eye. A closer inspection of a couple of the pieces showed different signatures on each photo.

"Welcome!" Waved a friendly-looking middle-aged gentleman with salt and pepper hair and a well-styled matching beard.

"You guys don't look too busy yet."

"You got here at just the right time. We're between busy stretches. The first rafts will be coming off the water in a half-hour."

"Lucky me. Did this used to be Cathy's Bakery?"

"Yes, it did. She taught me everything I know about baking and business."

"Do you have croissants?" Nat's eyes roamed over a display filled to the brim with baked goods but were not seeing any of what her wife had her heart set on.

"No," The older man frowned for just a moment. "It was the one thing I couldn't get down. However, Jean Pierre's Café by the River has some excellent croissants."

"Okay, then what would you recommend?"

"Our Chocolate chip cookies are the crowd favorite." The gentleman pointed to giant, thick, round cookies at the top of the display. He had a wide and genuine smile.

"That sounds good. I'll take a couple of those." She took a moment to peruse the menu as the man cheerfully selected the two most scrumptious-looking cookies. Rissa liked cold brew, while Natalie preferred hot beverages. Ris liked to joke that Nat wanted her coffee to be still boiling. She ordered a toffee caramel cold brew for her wife and a caramel macchiato for herself.

"So, what brought you to town? Was it the rapids or the holiday?" The gentlemen asked as a barista was preparing her drink.

"We're actually meeting family here. It's almost halfway between home and the west coast. My wife came up here on vacation as a little girl."

"Ah, that's why you asked about Cathy's?"

"Yeah, she remembered the croissants."

"Let her know that Cathy is in Scottsdale now, still going strong at eighty-one, happily retired, and spending time with her great-grandchildren."

"That's great!" Rissa had told her about the kind woman who had run the bakery on her early trips here.

"I kept the place named after her for a decade. When she came back here a few years ago, she insisted I change the name to my own." He smiled and pointed to a photograph beside the register with a younger Artie and a shorter older woman with a fiery look in her eyes. "I'll bet she would have remembered your wife if she came up here more than once."

"My beautiful wife certainly remembers her. Ris is going to take me rafting before the family gets here." She pulled her digital debit card up on her watch and tapped it into the payment terminal. "What holiday's coming up?"

"You don't know?" The gentleman asked with excitement.

Natalie shook her head. Her mind was reeling, trying to connect the date with a specific holiday. The Fourth of July had passed recently, but the next thing she could think of was Labor Day, which wasn't for a month and a half.

"Tomorrow's National Nude Day. Colorado recognized it starting last year."

Natalie suddenly remembered some social media posts from a celebration in Denver last year. She couldn't help a smile leaking out at the thought of her nudism not being confined to her home. "I thought that was a one-time thing."

"Nope, the trial run last year went fantastic, so it's an annual event. I thought everyone knew about it. Then again, I hardly get out of state."

Natalie listened briefly as he explained the NND Friendly signs she had seen across the state. He also explained the symbol of gingerbread people in a rainbow of skin tones and a line through it for places not participating. She thanked him for his time and promised to be back for coffee every morning of their trip as soon as she took a sip of her drink. She left a cash tip in the jar, happy to see that a place that Clarissa raved about still seemed to be a lovely café. A crowd started to filter in. It looked like Artie knew the rhythm of his establishment well.

Tomorrow sounded like a good time; perhaps it would bring a little of their honeymoon to this trip. Nat thought it might be fun not to clue in her wife until the day arrived. If Ris asked about any of the signs precisely, Natalie would tell her, but if not, the surprise on Rissa's face would be amazing.

The pair spent the rest of the day wandering through the town and ducking into little shops. They took Chester back home at noon, so they didn't have to take shifts watching the beast as they perused downtown. Rissa took a brief nap as Natalie read a book, this time for fun. Her wife could take naps, but for Nat, once she was awake in the morning, she couldn't sleep until evening. Back in the privacy of their vacation rental, Ris was her typical affectionate self.

After her nap, Rissa put on a breezy and form-fitting baby-blue dress as their choice of restaurants was decidedly more upscale than walking around downtown. Clarissa was always gorgeous, but she was stunning when she got dressed up. For Natalie's formal Christmas parties, when Ris poured herself into an elegant gown and went all out, she was heart-stopping.

They had an early dinner at Jean Pierre's, hoping to beat the crowd. The food was delicious and very French. Rissa's reticence to hand-holding and standing too close reappeared once they were in public again. Natalie was getting used to the three or four days post Ris's visits with her father, but it didn't mean she liked it. They made plans to go out on a hike in the morning. The trail near town wasn't dog-friendly, but Chester seemed to have gotten more than enough exercise today.

When they returned to the rental, Natalie shed her dress and curled up on the couch to read as Rissa took a shower. A quiet evening to end the night seemed like an excellent plan. Ris re-emerged wearing a t-shirt and booty shorts. Alarm bells blared in Nat's head. Clarissa hardly ever wore clothes at home. The serious and slightly mournful look on Rissa's face had Natalie's heart beating hard in her chest. She had no doubt that their marriage was rock solid, but she was scared that something was hurting her queen.

"Uh, Nat, can we talk a few minutes?" Rissa let Chester into the backyard and motioned for Nat to join her at the kitchen table. Nat got up cautiously and sat beside her wife.

Rissa -- That same time

"I'm sorry, Nat." Ris wiped a tear from her eye.

"For what, babe?"

"When we got together, after I took a day to admit I loved you..." Rissa paused to take a breath.

"You were scared, don't worry about it."

"I still feel bad about that, but that's not what this is about." She paused for Nat to nod at her. "The image of your eyes puffy from crying because of what I did, is something I never want to see again." Rissa reached over and clutched Nat's hand. The simple squeeze back from her bride calmed her nerves.

"You've made me nothing but ecstatic since." Nat smiled at her, making Ris's heart flutter in her chest.

"I can see it in how you look slightly hurt when I don't hold your hand out in public. It's not fair to you. I want to get over it, but to do that, I need your help."

"I'll help you do anything. So, what's the problem?" There was a tear welling in Nat's eye.

"Have you ever heard of Imposter Syndrome?"

"Of course, I fought it like crazy back in school."

"You did?" Rissa was flabbergasted. Her wife had been so calm and confident in all her classes that they shared.

"Big-time, but what does that have to do with you?"

"Well, whenever I meet with my dad, he makes me feel like I'm not enough of a lesbian for you. I feel the same when we're not in public, but as soon as we're out of the house, I feel like people judge me." Nat was listening intently and didn't interrupt her. "Does everyone think I'm a fake lesbian? I never even looked at another woman before you came along."

Nat had a tear in her eye as she looked back at her and brought up another hand to grip Rissa's. "First of all, you aren't a lesbian."

"I'm not?" Ris felt shocked and confused but was confident that her wife would have a point. Still, she felt a barely controlled panic simmering beneath.

"Nope, if I had to categorize you, your bi. Though, I don't think that quite works either." Nat smiled and squeezed her hand a little harder. "You love me, and that's all that matters."

"I know. My dad just has a way of making me question if I'm enough. You deserve so much, Nat."

"Rissa, you're my world, soul, and everything." She leaned in to kiss Ris. Their lips met in a slow, sweet kiss; Rissa could feel her anxiety melting. Natalie leaned back with a slight giggle.

"What?" Ris questioned but felt herself smile at her wife.

"I was just thinking, we both have a similar problem."

"And that is?"

"We want to give each other everything, putting us both a little in our heads."

"Huh, you might be right. Do me a favor. Next time I don't want to hold your hand, call me out." Rissa leaned in and kissed her.

"Only if you make sure I relax, at least on vacation."

"Deal, I want you to be around for the rest of my life." Ris squeezed Nat's hand and the panic that had threatened to come to the fore dissipated. "You want to let Chester in and take me to bed?"

"Yes, my love."

Getting the rental property buttoned up for the night took a few minutes. In a few more ticks of the clock, Rissa had stripped out of her clothes and gotten ready for bed. Since the sun had set, it had cooled down quite a bit. Snuggling up close to Natalie under a thick comforter with Chester curled up at their feet was as close to heaven as Ris was likely to get in this lifetime.

"Mmm, this is nice, Ris." Natalie cooed just before she started conversing. "We need to take more vacations. Once I graduate, do you want to see the world with me?"

"Of course. Maybe we can go more places like that resort in Mexico."

"More clothing-optional resorts?" Rissa could hear a smile in her voice.

"You seem so happy like that. You know me. I love to see your smile."

"Will you be comfortable at one, like me?"

Clarissa knew she was hinting at being naked with her wife in public, "I think so. If you'll hold my hand." Ris interlocked her fingers with Natalie's, pulled her wife's hand up, and kissed it. "It makes me feel safe and loved."

"You did already say you love to see me smile." Nat leaned up, placed a hand on Ris's chin, and urged her to meet Natalie's lips in a slow kiss.

They laid there, talking, giggling, and holding each other for what had to have been an hour. The feeling of her angel's body tucked against her and their pup balled at the end of the bed had her feeling content. Moments before sleep overtook Ris, Nat asked her a strange question. "Do you miss penis?"

"Wha..." Rissa thought she may have misheard and half dreamt the question.

"Oh, shit, you're falling asleep."

"I was, but did I hear you right?"

"Yeah, do you miss cock?"

"You said penis the first time." Ris giggled.

"See, you weren't asleep." Nat chortled. "But do you?"

"We have my life's best and most fulfilling sex, Nat. You make me cum in ways a guy never could." Rissa replied with absolute sincerity.

"You're also the best lover that I've ever had. You were so fearful that you aren't enough of a lesbian for me, but no other girl has ever made me climax the way you do. But that wasn't the question, was it?"

"No," Ris squirmed a little as she thought of how to explain. "I never want to be with anyone other than you. Sex isn't the same, though. You're excellent with a dildo, my love, but it's not the same."

"How's that?"

"You can hit all the right spots and make my vagina feel perfectly full, but..." Ris was praying this wasn't making Natalie feel insufficient. "Look, I know you love doing it, and you get a lot out of making me scream, but..." She trailed off again. "I liked knowing that my vagina was the direct cause of making a guy feel good physically."

"See, definitely bi-sexual, babe. I was just curious to know what it was like for a girl that liked vagina and penis. Thanks for satisfying that inquisitiveness." Nat's lips kissed her shoulder lightly.

There was more light conversation for just a couple minutes before the warmth of Nat against her and the cool night air won out. Rissa drifted to sleep, filled with pleasant dreams of world trekking adventures with her wife.

Natalie -- The next morning

Nat slid out of bed early. She wanted to check and verify what Artie had told her about the holiday. Natalie had no reason to doubt the kindly gentleman, but it seemed too fortuitous to be accurate. Rissa sometimes lightly ribbed Nat, telling her she may be the only woman in their generation who preferred to do all her searching and social media on a laptop, not a phone. Within a couple of minutes, Nat had read through the entirety of the law that brought National Nude Day into the officially recognized status here in Colorado.

Research of any variety was where Nat felt her most at home, critically, even more, when it was something she was into. It was the thing that propelled her toward becoming Dr. Evans, even though she may never get to be called that at work as her doctorate would be in nursing.

Assured that today was an actual holiday, Natalie took a shower and carefully did her hair and makeup before smearing her whole body with a thick coating of sunscreen. She tied on her hiking boots, put her bright red-dyed hair in a ponytail, and then started coffee. Chester quietly got up and sat by the door to be let out. He quickly picked up the new freedom for a dog that had only lived in an apartment. Maybe they did need a house once she got her doctorate. Her apartment was a great purchase when she was young and single, but some extra space and a backyard would be great. Especially once they started a family.

They planned to go on a hike and have an early lunch on a mountain trail. Natalie walking out the front door in what she was wearing now was only the first of a couple of surprises she had planned for Rissa today. At the night's end, her question was about setting up her perfect wife for a new toy that Nat had brought along on the trip. Tonight would be the last time they had the rental to themselves, and Nat was hoping to have her bride screaming in ecstasy this evening.

"I think I might be developing a new fetish." Rissa stood naked as she stared at her just outside their bedroom door.

"What would that be?" Natalie turned around to pour a cup of coffee. The turn was to hide a smile, thinking of how Ris would handle Nat walking out of the rental without putting on another thing, except maybe the necklace that Ris got her for their first wedding anniversary.

"You in just hiking boots." Rissa stepped behind Nat and patted her booty. Her wife loved Natalie's ass. "Would you wear just those to bed tonight?"

"I think that can be arranged." Nat pivoted around to hand the coffee to Rissa.

"It's our last night with the house to ourselves. We gotta make it count, right?" Ris grabbed the cup of coffee and kissed Nat before she could respond.