Page 112 of Plug and Claim

She selected a pair of loose lilac pants in a floral print, and a black short-sleeve blouse. Susie had also packed a brush. Kira seized it gratefully and brushed out her hair until it was smooth and free of knots.

At the bottom of the bag was a bright pink swimsuit in a candy stripe print.

“That one is a gift from Victoria,” Nathaniel explained. “She seemed sure you’d like it.”

“It’s pink,” Kira said in dismay.

Hot pink. Fuchsia pink. Eye-gouging, gag-inducing pink.

But, for some reason…it appealed to her. It was wildly different to what she would have worn in the past, but she felt strangely open to trying something new. After all, she was here to reinvent herself, so… Why not?

Nathaniel cleared his throat. “It still has the tags on it if you wish to exchange—”

Kira responded by snapping the tags off. “I like it.”

It was a one-piece swimsuit, and she could tell that the form-hugging design with the ruched bodice and cut-out back would be flattering on her figure.

She was right—Nathaniel’s reaction when she left the bathroom after changing into the one-piece confirmed it.

He halted in his tracks when he saw her, his eyes flaring. “I’ll have to thank Victoria,” he muttered.

Kira looked him up and down as well. She’d never seen him in casual clothes; a pair of khaki shorts, sandals, and a pale blue cotton shirt which was unbuttoned at the neck and had the sleeves rolled up. The sight of his straw hat, which had a black silk band that he managed to pull off, made her smile.

She was about to don her pants and blouse to cover the swimsuit, but she hesitated an extra two seconds to give Nathaniel a chance to finish checking her out.

When he didn’t break his trance, she cleared her throat loudly. “Ready to go?” she asked, smoothing her blouse and crossing her arms.

“Sure,” he said absently, still staring at her. “Why not?”

Or…we could stay, his eyes seemed to suggest, his head canting to one side.

Nope, nope…Kira flung the door open and stepped into the corridor, an excited thrill causing her body to tingle with anticipation as they crossed the common room. Why? She wasn’t entirely sure.

In the antechamber, Nathaniel led her down a narrow corridor she hadn’t noticed before and down a spiral staircase. There wasn’t much space, but they walked side-by-side regardless, and Kira was conscious of the many times Nathaniel’s arm brushed hers. Her breathing was shallow, the tension thick and dangerous, and she felt they were only heartbeats away from halting in the dark confines of the stairwell and…

And something.

Something she could not bring herself to name, but it involved his smoky scent enveloping her even more than what it was now, his chest pressed against hers, his lips lowering to capture hers.

Very dangerous.

Kira was careful not to look at him, crossing her arms to hug herself, but that only pressed her arms closer to his.

Shit.

Nathaniel’s steps slowed, his head angling to look at her.

Nervous energy raised every hair on her head, and she hurried to say something to break the tension. “So…” she began, her voice stuttered as she searched for something to say. “So, err, there’s technically eight floors to the dorms, not seven. Right?”

“Technically, no. It’s still only seven floors.”

“That doesn’t make sense, aren’t we headed for the eighth now?”

Before Nathaniel could answer, the stairwell curved around and bright light blinded her as an archway came into view. It took up the entire stairwell, and the flight of steps ended abruptly at the stone threshold. Knee-high sand was piled up on the other side of the archway, but not a single grain had spilt over. Beyond the sandy landscape was an expanse of water skirted by cliffs topped with palm trees and a sunlit sky. “Is that…the ocean?”

“It is.”

Kira stared at the small cove in wonderment. White sand shimmered in the sunlight, and water in rich shades of emerald and turquoise lapped the shore in gentle waves. People swam in the calm water, sunbathed on towels, and a few were sitting on a smooth rocky outcrop.