Chapter 1

The room was simple. Clean. Bright.

White walls. A sleek desk. A single monitor. Sophie sat alone, a clipboard beside her labeled:

The Intimacy Project – Pre-Arrival Assessment: PARTNER A

The screen displayed the instructions plainly:

“Please select your preferred third participant from the three candidate videos. If you and your partner choose the same participant, you will each receive a £1,000 bonus. If you choose differently, your partner’s choice will be selected.”

Sophie smirked softly at that detail.

Chuck always gets the final say. Of course he does.

She clicked Play.

📹 Option 1: Blake

Blonde, sculpted, sun-kissed, the kind of guy who only owned tank tops.

“What’s up? I’m Blake. Marketing, beach life, not shy. Nudity’s a vibe, and I’m down for whatever.”

She rolled her eyes. Vain. Too pretty. He knows it.

📹 Option 2: Tyler

Gentler. Tousled dark curls, friendly smile, glasses that gave him a “soft boy” charm.

“I’m Tyler. Writer, yoga instructor, big fan of human connection. I think this whole experience is about truth.”

Kind. A little shy. Sophie liked him ... but he felt too much like Chuck.

📹 Option 3: Malik

Stillness.

A tall, bald Black man stared calmly into the lens. Clean-shaven face. Deep brown skin. Wide shoulders. No flashy smile. No wink. No filler words.

“Malik. Thirty-two. Personal trainer. Former Army.”

He held her gaze through the screen, like he could see her.

“I respect boundaries. Unless you want me to cross them.”

Sophie felt a flutter in her stomach.

It was subtle. But real.
A heat.

She stared at his image a moment longer, lips slightly parted.

Then... click.
She selected #3.

✂️

Elsewhere – Chuck’s Room

Chuck’s monitor displayed the same instruction:

“Select your preferred third housemate. A £1,000 bonus will be awarded to both participants if your choices match. Otherwise, your selection will be final.”

He rubbed his hands together.

Easy.

📹 Blake – “Nope. Too hot.”

📹 Tyler – “Nope. Sophie’s into emotional types.”

📹 Malik – Bald. Broad. Serious.

Chuck tilted his head.

“She’s never been into Black guys. Guy’s intense, sure, but he’s not gonna charm her.”

Click. #3.
He leaned back, satisfied.

A chime sounded.

“MATCH CONFIRMED – BOTH SELECTED PARTICIPANT 3: MALIK”
£1,000 bonus awarded to both participants.

Chuck’s eyes lit up.

“No way. Hah. Didn’t think she’d pick him.”

Moments later, they were reunited in the hallway.

“We picked the same guy,” Chuck grinned. “Nice surprise.”

Sophie smiled sweetly.

“I ... I figured you’d pick him. I just wanted to match with you.”

She lied.

🕰️ FLASHBACK – TWO WEEKS EARLIER

Their apartment was dim. Rent was late again. Dishes in the sink. A slow tension in the air they didn’t speak about.

Chuck sat at his laptop, scrolling job boards.

Pop-up ad:

“Earn up to £40,000 – Test Your Relationship. Explore Emotional and Physical Intimacy. Must be Open to Nudity.”

He clicked.

Read the fine print.

By the time Sophie came in with a cup of tea, his eyes were glowing.

“Babe ... what if I told you we could clear our debt in a month?”

She blinked.

“What’s the catch?”

He spun the screen toward her.

“It’s a study. Just nudity. Three people. Tasks. Bonuses. £10K if we last 10 days. Another £10K if we stay for 10 more. And if we make it to the full 30? £40,000. Each.”

Sophie raised an eyebrow.

“And we’d be ... naked the whole time?”

“Yeah, but it’s not sex. It’s science. Vulnerability. Connection. They’re therapists, not porn directors.”

She chewed her lip. Nervous. Intrigued.

“It just sounds ... intense.”

“C’mon. We’ve been through worse. What’s ten days in the nude with some random?”

Sophie had looked at the ad again.
Imagining herself in a house with Chuck ... and one other body. One other man.

Something curious flickered in her chest.

And then she nodded.

“Okay. Let’s try it.”

☀️ DAY 1 – THE FIRST LOOK

The facility smelled like cedar and lemon.

It was quiet. Peaceful, almost too peaceful. Like the calm before something intimate and irreversible.

Sophie and Chuck stepped out of the car, both wrapped in soft grey robes and silence. A young staffer greeted them without ceremony.

“Welcome to The Intimacy Project. Please follow me to your showers. Clothing will be collected. Nudity is required in all communal spaces. Once you’re clean, proceed to the main lounge.”

Chuck glanced at Sophie. Raised his eyebrows like “no big deal.”
She smiled back, small, tight.

Inside, the air was warm. The water hot. The silence heavy.

Sophie showered alone, her skin prickling beneath the spray—not from cold, but nerves. Her heart ticked faster with every passing minute.

Naked. In front of him. In front of ... the third.

She didn’t even know what she was hoping—or dreading—to see.

🧖 The Lounge: Undressing

Chuck arrived first.

He stepped into the large open lounge: all smooth wood floors, low furniture, and wide windows that spilled sunlight across the space.

He took a deep breath and dropped his robe.

And just like that, he was naked.

Not just nude. Exposed.

Chuck had never been “well-endowed,” but in this light, this space, next to no one ... the truth looked harsher. His cock was small. Almost childlike in rest. A tight little shaft, shy, pale, tucked against a barely visible bush.

He stood tall, trying to posture, arms at his sides like it didn’t matter.

But even he could feel how the room treated him: empty.

Moments later, Sophie entered.

She paused. Just for a second. Her hands clutched the robe at her chest, her breath caught. Then—slowly, bravely—she let it fall.

And Chuck turned to look at her.

His eyes always lit up when she was naked, but today...
She looked different.

Sophie was gorgeous.

Her long, brunette hair still damp, clinging to the soft curves of her shoulders. Her skin glowing, almost dewy in the light. Her hazel eyes glanced up, uncertain, curious. But her full red lips parted slightly in breath.

Her breasts were small but firm, perfectly shaped, the nipples large, thick, dark pink, standing proudly on her pale skin. Her stomach was flat, her hips slender, athletic ... but her ass was something else entirely—round, full, sexual in every sense. Made to be grabbed. Watched. Fucked.

Chuck swallowed.

Even after years together, she still stunned him.

But she wasn’t looking at him.

Not really.

Because then the door opened.

🚪 Enter Malik

He walked in like he owned the building.

No robe. No hesitation.

Malik was a visual earthquake. Tall. Muscular. Confident. His skin a rich, deep brown that shimmered under the light. His chest wide and heavy, every muscle etched and hard-earned. Veins coiled down his arms and across his forearms like cords.

But it was lower ... that everything changed.

His cock swung between his thick thighs, soft—but massive.
Not big. Unreal.
Even in rest, it was easily the length of Sophie’s forearm. Thick. Heavy. The kind of cock that defied logic—a weapon, a promise, a threat.

Chuck’s eyes widened.
He tried not to look, but he looked.
And he suddenly felt cold.

Sophie inhaled softly. Not loud. Just enough.
Her nipples tingled. Her stomach tightened.

That’s soft?

She didn’t know what arousal was supposed to feel like in this kind of moment.
But her thighs pressed closer together without thinking.

Malik’s gaze met hers.

Calm. Unbothered.
He nodded.

“Hey.”

That voice. Lower than it had sounded in the video.
Like it rumbled through her chest before reaching her ears.

Chuck nodded quickly. Trying to stay composed.

“Hey, man. Malik, right? We picked you.”

Malik didn’t look at him.

“Yeah. You did.”

For a moment, the room was silent.
Three naked bodies. One undeniable presence.

And Sophie...
She had never felt more aware of herself.
Of the air on her skin. The heat behind her knees.
The heavy pull between her thighs.

She had never felt more naked.
More seen.

More like a woman.

Not just someone’s girlfriend.
Not just Chuck’s quiet, loyal partner.

But a woman standing between two men—
One soft, familiar, trying.
The other carved, composed, and capable of ruining her.

And she felt it already...
The shift.
The need.

Even if she didn’t admit it out loud.

The three of them stood together in the lounge.
Sunlight streamed in through the wide glass wall, casting warm lines over three naked bodies, and one massive, unspoken tension.

The room was silent—civil, almost polite—but the tension was undeniable.

Chuck cleared his throat.

“So ... this is a weird way to meet people.”

Sophie gave a breathy laugh. Malik smiled—a small, real smile. Not cocky, just amused.

“Could be worse,” he said. “At least the lighting’s decent.”

It broke the ice just enough to breathe.

But underneath the polite chatter ... was the elephant trunk in the room.

Malik’s cock.

It hung between his thighs—thick, heavy, natural in its boldness. He made no effort to hide it. No tension in his stance. He was just there. Present. Swinging.

It was impossible not to notice.
Even harder not to look.

Everyone was fighting their own quiet battle:

Chuck, forcing eye contact, resisting the urge to glance down.

Sophie, pretending she was interested in the conversation, when her body kept buzzing with awareness.

And Malik, perfectly composed—like he didn’t need to know if they were looking, because he already knew they were.

It wasn’t arrogance.

It was gravity.

Then came the soft chime overhead.

“Sophie, please report to the Interview Room. Charles and Malik, please stand at the centre of the lounge and remain still.”

She blinked.

“Just me?”

Malik gave her the smallest nod, calm as ever.

“Protocol, probably. You’ll be fine.”

There was something in his voice—assurance.

Not flirtation. Not command.

Just ... control.

Chuck’s mouth twitched as she left, barefoot and naked, the curve of her ass bouncing gently as she stepped out of the room.

He didn’t know why he suddenly felt cold.

🎥 INTERVIEW ROOM – SOPHIE

The room was dim and softly lit. One chair. One speaker.

“Hello, Sophie. Please answer as openly and honestly as possible. Your responses are confidential and essential to the study.”

“How do you feel being nude in the house so far?”

“It’s ... more intense than I thought. I feel seen. Exposed. But also ... kind of alive?”

“Are you comfortable being naked in front of Charles?”

“Yes. It’s familiar. I know how he sees me.”

“Are you comfortable being naked in front of Malik?”

A pause. Her lips parted.

“I thought I wouldn’t be. But I am. He’s confident. But not pushy. It’s hard to explain.”

“Please look through the glass. The two men cannot see you.”

The wall illuminated.

Chuck and Malik stood side by side, facing forward.

Chuck looked tense, pale, fidgety. His cock small—invisible in this lighting, like a secret too shy to show itself.

And then there was Malik.

His stance relaxed. Shoulders back. Arms loose.
His cock hung like a goddamn monument.

Sophie’s mouth went dry.

“Describe what you see.”

“Two men. One trying ... the other just is.”

“Elaborate.”

“Chuck looks ... sweet. A little uncomfortable. Like he’s holding his breath. Malik looks like ... he was born for this. I can’t stop noticing how ... still he is. How he owns the space.”

“What are you feeling right now?”

A long breath.

“Drawn. Curious. A little ashamed that I’m more attracted than I thought I’d be.”

Her thighs pressed together on the chair.

“And I can’t stop looking at him.”

🔁 INTERVIEW ROOM – CHUCK

Chuck sat down stiffly.

He tried to appear relaxed—but his fingers tapped constantly against the armrest.

“How do you feel being nude in the house so far?”

“It’s not ideal. But I’ll manage.”

“Are you comfortable being naked in front of Sophie?”

“Sure. We’ve lived together for years.”

“Are you comfortable being naked in front of Malik?”

“It’s ... hard to ignore the difference. He’s obviously built. Not just muscles. Everything. I’m not insecure, but ... it’s noticeable.”

“Please look through the glass.”

The wall lit up.

And there she was.

Sophie stood near Malik. Too near. Not touching, but close enough that their skin almost seemed to echo each other.

She was laughing softly. Her lips flushed. Her chest rising with a slow breath.

Chuck felt like someone had pushed a thumb into his throat.

“Describe what you see.”

“My girlfriend. And a guy who ... makes me feel small.”

“What does that make you feel?”

“Jealous. A little scared.”

And something else he didn’t say.

Powerless.

Malik never entered the interview room. This research wasn’t about him ... Even though it was all about him.

🕛 DAY 1 – LUNCH

The awkwardness had started to fade.

Sophie sat at the wide kitchen island, legs tucked neatly beneath her, sipping water. She was still very aware of her nudity—but something about Malik’s calm energy made it feel ... easier.

Chuck leaned against the counter, arms crossed, trying to look casual.

Malik was by the stove.

The only thing covering him was a thick, navy-blue apron—the single exception to the nudity rule, permitted only while cooking. And somehow, that single piece of fabric made things worse.

It was almost disappointing.

It covered the one part of Malik no one could stop thinking about. The part that had dominated the room when he entered it. And yet, the apron only served to frame everything else—like a spotlight with no shade.

Sophie watched him move. She tried not to. But her eyes kept returning to him—again and again.

Malik stood at least 6’3, a full head taller than Chuck, who barely reached 5’8. And Malik’s size wasn’t just about height—it was mass, presence, the kind of body that didn’t ask for attention ... it just took it.

His shoulders were enormous, capped and sloping with strength, stretching the apron strap tight across his upper back. Each bicep bulged with perfect control, a solid arc of power as he stirred the pan or flipped the chicken.

Even his forearms were thick, veined, roped with quiet strength.

When he moved to grab a bowl from the top shelf, the apron lifted slightly in the back—and Sophie’s eyes dropped instinctively.

His ass was completely exposed—tight, round, shockingly high for a man his size, flexing subtly as he stepped down again. The open back of the apron framed it perfectly.

Her lips parted, unconsciously.

And his legs...

Thick slabs of muscle, carved from thighs to calves. Powerful quads, dense and wide enough that were each probably comparable to Sophie’s torso in diameter. His calves flared as he moved, grounded, balanced—ready to move, lift, pin.

He wasn’t flexing. He didn’t pose.

But his entire body was a quiet threat.

A promise.

And Sophie couldn’t stop watching.

“You cook?” she asked, forcing her voice light.

Malik didn’t look up.

“Every day. Learned in the Army. Got addicted to clean food. Can’t eat shit when you train.”

“Wish I could get Chuck to cook like that,” she teased without thinking.

Chuck chuckled tightly.

“I cook. I microwave. Same thing.”

He reached for a jar of olives, tried to twist it open.

Nothing.

Tried again.
Still nothing.

Malik extended one hand without turning his head.

Chuck hesitated, then passed the jar over.

Click.
Malik opened it with one effortless pop, no strain. He passed it back like it was nothing.

Sophie blinked.
Her stomach flipped.

“Thanks,” Chuck muttered, stiffly.

“No problem,” Malik replied with a polite, easy nod.
Not gloating. Just capable.

That made it worse, somehow.

🍽️ Lunch

The meal was delicious.

Grilled chicken. Roasted vegetables. A sharp yogurt sauce that Malik whipped together casually as if he’d done it a hundred times. The kind of meal that tasted like effort, without the ego.

They sat around the table, still nude, legs crossed, slowly easing into the strange rhythm of communal exposure.

Sophie looked looser.
She wasn’t covering herself as much now.
Her laugh came more freely. Her smile lingered longer.

Every now and then, her eyes flicked to Malik’s hands. His forearms. The way he held his fork like a sculptor’s chisel.

Chuck tried to keep up. Tried to add jokes, steer conversation. But Malik never competed.

He just spoke when needed.
Looked when it mattered.
And let silence work for him.

The three stood in the centre of the lounge, side by side, still nude, their bare feet on the warm wood floor.

The announcement flashed again on the screen above:

TASK ONE:

“Participants will engage in two separate, two-minute open-mouth kisses. Each kiss must involve a different pairing. The same two people may not kiss twice.”

£1,000 will be awarded to each participant upon completion.

Chuck laughed softly, a little nervously.

“Okay, so ... one kiss per person, no repeats. Got it.”

He turned to Sophie, already stepping forward, assuming the obvious.

“Want to get ours done first?”

She nodded, maybe a little too quickly.

“Sure.”

Malik stepped back silently, giving them space. He crossed his arms loosely over his chest, his massive frame sinking comfortably into stillness—just watching.

💋 KISS 1 – Sophie & Chuck

They stood close.

Nude. Facing each other.
No distractions now.

Chuck leaned in first, his hands resting gently on Sophie’s hips. His lips found hers—warm, soft. Their tongues met ... briefly. Lightly.

There was a rhythm to it. A comfort.

But no fire.

Sophie kissed him like she’d kissed him a thousand times before.
Because she had.

She knew every angle. Every breath. Every tiny twitch.

And as they kissed ... she became aware of just how absent her body felt.

There was no flutter in her belly. No pulse between her thighs.
Her hands stayed still. Her core stayed quiet.

They pulled apart after two quiet, familiar minutes.

Chuck smiled, trying to shake off the tension with a laugh.

“Easy,” he said. “One down.”

Then the silence dropped.

The screen still glowed with its soft instruction:

Two kisses. Each with a different pairing.

Chuck’s brow furrowed.

“Wait. So...”

Malik’s voice was low, measured.

“You two already kissed.”

A simple statement.
No pressure.
Just truth.

Sophie turned toward Malik. Her heart was thudding again.

He stood still. Calm. Arms down now. The apron long gone.
His full body on display.

Massive. Imposing. Unmoving.

Chuck shifted behind her.

“I guess that means it’s you two.”

Sophie looked between them—then smirked, trying to lighten it.

“It’s just a kiss,” she said gently.

Then, with a small laugh—meant to cut the awkwardness but laced with heat she didn’t expect—

“Unless you want to kiss him...”

Chuck snorted, awkward.

“Ha. Yeah, I’ll pass.”

Malik smiled. Not mocking.
Just amused. In control.

“Your call,” he said, eyes on Sophie. “I’m here if you are.”

She paused.

Then stepped forward.

Her body buzzed with tension.

She wasn’t pretending anymore.

She was curious.
She was wet.

And she was about to kiss a man who’d barely spoken more than a sentence to her—but had already made her body feel more alive than it had in years.

🌒 DAY 1 – EVENING WIND-DOWN

The lights had softened to a golden hue, the way a luxury spa dims the world to make you breathe slower. Dinner was finished. The air was still.

Then, a soft mechanical chime sounded through the ceiling speakers.

“All shared spaces are now fully accessible. Please explore your accommodations at your own pace.”

A hiss of hydraulics as a previously locked hallway slid open.

Sophie turned toward the noise.

“I guess that’s our room?”

Malik shrugged and walked toward the hall first, calm, unhurried.

Chuck followed—trying not to rush, but his steps a little too quick. Sophie came last, still half in her own head, the taste of Malik’s kiss still lingering in her mouth like wine that wouldn’t fade.

🛏️ THE BEDROOM

The door opened to reveal a large, open-concept sleeping area.

Two beds.

Two big beds, both wide and luxurious, separated by a few feet of hardwood floor and a pair of low nightstands. Minimalist. Clean. No clutter. No dividers.

“Well,” Chuck said, a little too brightly, “at least we don’t have to, you know—share a bed.”

He laughed, trying to play it cool.
Trying to sound like it was no big deal.

Sophie gave a faint, automatic chuckle.
Then added, without thinking—

“Yeah ... sure.”

There was something in her voice. Not regret. But something like conflicted hesitation.

Chuck didn’t hear it.

Malik might’ve.

There were other details:

A large open closet, three identical sets of white slippers and soft towels.

A shelving nook, empty for now.

And three touchscreen panels built into the walls, clearly for future prompts or tasks.

At the foot of each bed sat a folded robe—one per person. For emergencies only. Otherwise, the house stayed nude.

Sophie’s gaze drifted to the bed that Malik casually sat on, stretching his arms back behind him.

He looked massive against the neutral bedding. Relaxed. Ready. Like he belonged there.

And something in her stomach fluttered.
Not fear.
Something closer to temptation.

🌌 THE PATIO & GARDEN AREA

The back of the house opened with wide glass doors. Sophie stepped out barefoot onto smooth stone tiles, the night warm against her skin.

Outside, the world was quiet and beautiful.

A sunken hot tub bubbled softly in the corner of the patio, steam curling up into the sky.

A small lap pool stretched just beyond it, glowing blue from underwater lights.

To the right, a metal weight rack gleamed under subtle lighting—rows of kettlebells, dumbbells, and a pull-up bar bolted into a wood post.

Sophie immediately imagined Malik there. Sweating. Flexing. Commanding.

Chuck wandered the edge of the patio, noting the open-air shower in the corner, then paused at something further down the path.

“Huh. There’s another building.”

A single modern structure, like a sleek shed with mirrored glass walls, sat just beyond the garden.

The door was sealed. No panel. No handle.

“It’s locked,” Chuck said. “Wonder what’s in it.”

Malik didn’t respond. He stood at the edge of the hot tub, one hand idly swirling the steam.

“Maybe it opens when we’re ready,” he said, low.

Sophie swallowed.
The phrase sent a little pulse through her.

The three of them lingered outside for a moment.

The air was warm.
The stars were out.
The water called to them.

Sophie felt it—how small the world had become.
Just her.
Her boyfriend.
And the man who kissed her like she didn’t belong to anyone at all.

🌙 DAY 1 – EVENING: HOT TUB RULES

The sky had deepened to velvet blue, dotted with stars. The patio lights hummed to life with soft amber tones, casting a quiet warmth over the stone tiles and smooth outdoor furniture.

Sophie and Chuck sat on a cushioned lounger, still nude but loosely wrapped in towels. Her legs were tucked up beside her, feet bare, a drink cradled in both hands. Chuck lounged with one arm stretched along the backrest behind her.

For the first time all day ... things felt still.

“This place is insane,” Sophie said, eyes on the lap pool. “It’s like a resort. If resorts made you be naked all the time.”

Chuck laughed, leaning his head back.

“Honestly, I thought I’d be more awkward by now.”

Sophie smiled and reached down, patting his thigh.

“You’re doing fine.”

And she meant it. Chuck was trying. He was just out of his depth.

He exhaled slowly. Then, without really thinking—

“Really screwed up picking contestant number three though, didn’t I?”

Sophie turned toward him, confused.

“What? How? He seems really nice.”

Chuck smirked.

“It’s not his personality that worries me.”

He meant it as a joke. But it didn’t land like one.

Sophie gave a soft laugh, but her eyes flicked down—like her body already knew what Chuck was referring to before her brain did.

“You’re worrying over nothing,” she said gently.

But her voice didn’t carry the weight of certainty.

And her eyes?

Her eyes didn’t leave the figure that had just stepped onto the patio.

Malik.

Barefoot. Naked. Moving in silence. A towel slung casually over one broad shoulder. His chest caught the light—ridges and muscle sculpted into shadow and shine. Veins curled along his arms and hands. His powerful legs flexed with every step, and between them ... he swung.

Full. Meaty. Unignorable.

He walked toward the bubbling hot tub like he’d been there a hundred times before.

Sophie watched him the whole way.

Didn’t blink.
Didn’t look at Chuck.

Malik lowered himself slowly into the water, one arm bracing against the edge, the other dipping in after him. His body sank beneath the surface in smooth, deliberate motion.

A soft groan of satisfaction escaped his throat.

Then—

BEEP. BEEP.

A small, calm alarm sounded from above.

A voice followed:

“Reminder: Hot Tub, Pool, and Outdoor Fitness Zones are communal areas. A minimum of two participants must be present for use. Solo access is not permitted.”

Chuck looked up.

“Wait ... seriously?”

Sophie’s lips twitched into a half-smile.

“Guess we can’t do anything alone here.”

Malik looked over his shoulder, still calm in the water.

“Tub’s open. Join me.”

Not a demand. Not a challenge.

Just a fact.

Sophie stood without hesitation.

Her towel dropped from her waist, her slim hips and firm ass catching the light. She moved with a kind of grace that hadn’t been there earlier.

She stepped down into the hot tub with a breathy “mmm,” settling across from Malik, her legs folding naturally beneath her. The water curled around her breasts. Her nipples were already hard again.

Chuck followed a beat later, clumsier in his movements. He kept his towel until the last second. He slid in beside Sophie—less gracefully, and a little too quickly.

Now the three of them were nude, wet, and together.

The hot tub hummed. Steam curled.
And no one said a word for a long moment.

Malik leaned back, his arms draped along the edge behind him. His chest rose and fell in slow rhythm, his skin gleaming.

Chuck sat stiffly.

Sophie sat still—but her eyes ... weren’t on Chuck anymore.

💦 HOT TUB – FINAL MOMENTS OF DAY 1

The water bubbled between them. Steam curled around their shoulders, softening the night air.

Sophie sat quiet, her body loose but her mind buzzing. The warmth had her floating. Or maybe it was the kiss. Or the fact that every time Malik shifted, she could feel it. The water moved differently around him.