Emma is too drunk. But Nathalie, on the other hand....

"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting? You're drunk!" Nathalie says, rolling her eyes.

"No, it will be fun!" Emma claps. "We can play two against two. Lets get them naked and doing forfeits! I'll get the cards."

Emma stands, and it's clear that she's having difficulty keeping her balance. Isolde darts forward and puts her arm around the blonde girl as she sways on her feet.

"Whoa! Whoa! You've definitely had too much. Let's get you to bed."

"No.... Strip poker...." Emma says feebly, but the moment seems to have passed.

No! Alex thinks, heart sinking. So close!

Emma is still protesting feebly as Isolde takes her from the room, the Irish girl smiling wryly. Nathalie shrugs and settles back into her chair, pouring another glass for herself.

"Strip poker! She's so drunk. There's no way she would have proposed that if she was sober. She doesn't even get her clothes off in front of the swim team, for God's sake, and they're all girls. She'll be so embarrassed about this in the morning." Nathalie reflects for a moment. "Well, not as embarrassed as if she'd had to show you her boobs, but...."

Alex's heart is still pounding and he finds it difficult to sound relaxed. "Well, it would be fun. Its a fun idea. Maybe we shouldn't just do it anyway? I mean, we're out in the middle of nowhere on holiday, young, free..." He tries not to sound too ****.

"You sound like a bad advert!" Nathalie scoffs. Then her eyes drift knowingly down towards the bulge in Alex's trousers and her voice turns thoughtful. "Still....."

Alex sees the flush on Nathalie's cheeks. He realises that she is drunker than she appears. In fact, she must be nearly as drunk as Emma!

The door opens and Isolde slips back inside. "She passed out. I've left her on the bed," she says, then picks up on the tension in the room. "What's going on?"

Nathalie raises her eyebrows. "Your boyfriend still thinks we should play strip poker."

"Oh, does he?" Isolde says with exaggerated surprise. "What a surprise. Pervert."

"Total pervert. Although it does sound like fun," says Nathalie, winking at Alex. He tries not to look too surprised. Play it cool, he thinks. "I've played a couple of times before, it's quite exciting. Although I always seem to end up naked. I am definitely going to actually win one of these days, and tonight I'm feeling lucky." She takes a sip of wine. "It would be me against you two as a team I guess, since you're a couple and you've seen it all before."

They hadn't, of course, as they were only masquerading as boyfriend and girlfriend. Alex thinks of the naked photo of Nathalie on his phone. You're the one I've seen before, he thinks. But not in the flesh. Not like this

"Well, I'd be up for it," says Isolde, sitting next to Alex. "But we'd need a good forfeit." She smiles wickedly. "Do you have that school uniform with you by any chance? It sounds like you'rd due another good spanking."

Nathalie blushes, and Isolde grins. First blood!

"In your dreams, Irish," Nathalie says, still rosy-cheeked. "No, no forfeits this time. I've had my fill of spankings, thank you. Tonight we're just playing for bragging rights."

"Aw," Isolde pouts but doesn't really look too disappointed. "Fine by me. Get the cards and get ready to lose your dignity."

Nathalie grins and grabs the cards. "We'll see about that!"

Alex stands to shut the curtains, all too aware of the stiff cock pressing against his trouser leg. He isn't really worried about someone looking in from the outside, not here in the middle of nowhere, but better safe than sorry.

He catches sight of something through the window and pauses.

Far off to the east along the lakeside is a giant bonfire. Against the dark blue sky and the silhouettes of black trees it stands out as a blazing orange inferno. He can't hazard a guess at how big it is, but it looks as high as the trees in the distance. What's that, ten feet? Twenty?

And who would light such a thing -he people from the car? Surely not - it's far too big for a few travellers in a small hatchback.

He stops and stares for a moment at the blazing flames in the distance.

"Are you coming or not?" Isolde is already dealing the cards.

He pulls the curtains shut without a word. Whatever the bonfire is, it's a long way away. And nothing is getting in the way of this game of poker!