Sun of a Beach by Mia Sosa

Author:Mia Sosa [Sosa, Mia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781641972598
Publisher: NYLA

6

NAOMI

The next morning, I wake at dawn, the stress of my gone-off-the-rails job assignment disrupting my ordinarily restful sleep. In a desperate, last-minute bid to draw inspiration from our majestic surroundings, I drag myself out of bed, slip on a breezy sundress, and tiptoe outside, a thin jacket knotted around my waist and my sandals dangling from my fingers. A few steps in and—

“Going somewhere?” someone asks softly.

“Shit!”

I stumble forward, but Donovan quickly settles his strong hands around my waist and shoulder and prevents me from faceplanting.

“Sorry,” he says. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“Right. Because standing in the shadows at dawn and announcing yourself only after I’ve taken several steps when I’m plainly oblivious to your presence surely wouldn’t scare me.”

“Again,” he says, fighting back a grin. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“Argh. Why do you always manage to make me sound unreasonable?”

He shrugs. “Because you are?”

I spin away from him and skip down the steps.

“Where are you headed?” he asks behind me.

“For a walk on the beach. And some early morning brainstorming.”

“You need more than one person for that, remember?”

I wave his comment away.

“Want company?”

I slow my steps and turn around. Donovan’s standing on the veranda, a cupped hand at his forehead to block the rising sun. My gaze absorbs his appearance in seconds: the loose joggers sitting low on his hips; his sleepy eyes; the bright white T-shirt; the bare feet. Something about those bare feet gives me pause; after a few seconds, I own up to what it is: the fear that we’re breaking down walls that should remain intact. I’m not supposed to see my co-worker’s toes, especially Donovan’s. It’s too personal. Too . . . intimate. Clearly, I need to mentally place us firmly in the category of colleagues. I suppose working would accomplish that goal. “Sure,” I tell him. “You’re the one who got us into this mess. Might as well make yourself useful by serving as my sounding board.”

“Such a generous woman, you are,” he says as he saunters down the steps.

“You’re not going to grab a pair of sneaks or something?”

“Beach. Sand. Bare feet. It’s a thing.”

I roll my eyes at him, then sneak a peek at said feet. Dammit. They’re nice, too. Cared for. Toes filed neatly. Heels well moisturized. Okay, maybe I have a foot fetish. I whip around and take a cleansing breath as I stride across the stone walkway that leads directly to the resort’s beachfront. “Let’s do this, then. We don’t have a lot of time.”

I march while he saunters, each of his steps equaling three of mine. I’m in my head, of course, imagining how disappointed Linda will be when she learns what’s going on. Today’s our last full day on the island, and we’re running out of time to come up with a brilliant idea that’ll convince her the trip wasn’t a total loss.

“Are you aiming to get to a particular place?” Donovan asks.

“I’ll know it when I see it.”

“Kind of hard to do with your eyes glued to the sand.

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