I came to the island on a dare—to prove I wasn’t all talk. The brochure said "clothing optional." What it didn’t say was that the moment you step off the boat, you’re no longer in charge.

It was supposed to be a getaway. A wild weekend before I turned twenty-five. But I hadn't expected the welcome ritual… or how it would feel to have his eyes on me—dark, commanding, amused—as the resort staff asked me to remove my clothes in front of strangers.

I hesitated. My fingers trembled at the hem of my tank top. A few others had already stripped—confident, experienced, like they'd done this before. I was the...