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It's amazing the extra intimacy and honesty that comes when you're buck-naked.
By Amanda Chatel — Last updated on Sep 27, 2022
My guy and I hadn't seen each other in a couple months. We were doing the long-distance thing with him in Paris and myself in New York City.
Although we hadn't seen each other in so long, we had managed to keep the "love alive," as they say, via video-chatting and excessive emails that were about everything from politics to dirty talk.
Basically, we knew that once we were together again, there would be lots of sex.
It wasn't intentional, but after he picked me up from the airport and arrived at his place, we proceeded to be naked for at least the next 24 hours, maybe even longer.
While 24 hours naked may seem a bit extreme to some, I assure you that we were champs, and I can't wait to do it again.
What was awesome: We had, of course, lots of sex.
In between the sex, we watched movies or "Breaking Bad," although we'd usually get distracted by our nakedness and move on to other things, but we also talked a lot about our future.
It's amazing the extra intimacy and honesty that comes when you're buck-naked. You're not just exposed physically, but for some reason your heart and brain follow suit.
Also, drinking so much French wine and champagne helped quite a bit. Drinking champagne is even better when you're naked and in bed with someone you love. Try it.
What went wrong: I realized I do not want him cooking in the nude; it's just weird for me.
Although he was fine watching me cook in the nude, even though I refused to do so, there are just some things that should be kept separate. It was OK when we ate cheese in bed naked, but eating cheese and watching him cook some French gourmet meal is a different story.
There's reaching for dishes, and bending over to check the temperature of the oven, and it's just a little too much to witness. I'm happy that he doesn't feel that way about me, but I just can't.
We ended up ordering delivery and he saved his culinary skills for another night.
What was surprisingly easy: To be naked!
I'm pretty self-conscious about my body, so admittedly, there were moments when I covered up a bit with a sheet, but overall I just let it all hang out.
I know that I can attribute this to having a partner who loves my curves and imperfections, so I'm lucky in that regard, but there was a lot of strength that came from inside me and I was really proud of that.
How it ended: At some point you have to put on your clothes and go out and face the world... it is Paris, after all.
And there were more cheeses and wines to consume. We'd had also run out of wine, and the bodega on the corner didn't have the Bordeaux we'd been drowning in.
What I'd change: Nothing.
I honestly think it brought our relationship to a new level.
I'm pretty sure this is what an adult relationship entails: nakedness, sex, wine, champagne, goat cheese and a "Breaking Bad" marathon on in the background. And if it isn't, then I don't care.
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Amanda Chatel is a lifestyle writer with a focus on sex, relationships, sexual health, women's reproductive rights, and mental health. She has bylines at Harper's Bazaar, The Atlantic, Forbes, Livingly, Mic, The Bolde, Huffington Post, and others. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook for more.