Kim stared out over the ocean, watching the sunset and toying with her trident pendant as the balmy, still air made a thin sheen of sweat pop out and coat her skin.
The Caribbean was beautiful, and she had enjoyed the first three days here. But despite the excitement of vacationing alone for the first time, she'd run out of ideas to keep herself amused. Sure, the white, sandy beaches and the crystal clear water attracted her, and they always made a great option. But there had to be something more, something she'd overlooked. After all, why come to Punta Cana for a week if you only had three days' worth of adventures to fill your time?
This hadn't originally been a solo trip. In fact, Kim was supposed to be here with her fiancé, her maid of honor, and her fiancé's brother. But somewhere along the way, during her frantic planning and addressing of all the details for the wedding, she and Eddy had grown apart, and he'd taken a job in Europe, leaving her behind. The sad part was, Kim had been relieved rather than sad. She hadn't actually been in love with Eddy. She'd merely felt the need to settle down and start a family.
A slight breeze blew her long, dark hair around her, and she brushed it out of her face with a sigh. She still had Bridget, her maid of honor, and Eddy's brother, Billy, would have come, too. But apparently, the real love connection had drawn the two of them together, and they had exchanged their tickets to go to Las Vegas and elope.
Kim considered cancelling the vacation, adding the refunds to what she could recuperate from her wedding expenses so she could buy a house. But she'd let Bridget and a couple of friends from work talk her into this sabbatical. They all said it would be good for her, that she would have a chance to explore herself and find out what she really wanted in life. It sounded like a good plan at the time, and she'd looked forward to it. She felt powerful, independent, and validated.
But now, with the dolphins and the deep sea adventure, the tour of Santo Domingo and the party on the uninhabited island all behind her, Kim felt somewhat like there was nothing else to look forward to except all the food she could eat and all the alcohol she could drink. After all, all-inclusive was the only way to go at the Spanish resorts on the island, if you wanted to live in the lap of luxury.
"Una mas?" One of the tuxedoed waiters from the hotel asked quietly, sidling up close to her. The staff here was very aware of how to address the tourists' needs without seeming to invade their private space. Kim definitely appreciated the careful care and attention without aggressiveness.
She smiled at the young man, who was gesturing to her empty margarita. "Gracias, pero, no." Her Spanish wasn't great, and her accent didn't even marginally achieve the same lovely lilt as the waiter's, but he smiled appreciatively and gave a short bow before walking away.
With the sun finally below the horizon and the stars twinkling on the surface of the immense ocean, Kim turned toward the hotel, meaning to head to her room but deciding to do so by way of the pool. She liked the vibe, becoming reminiscent of a party or club after dark, and the vigorous Latin music thrummed in her chest and through her veins as she sidled along between people.
Someone grabbed her hand and twirled her unexpected, and Kim nearly fell in the pool, but the same person grabbed her other hand and drew her forward, until her body was pressed against another one, from which bubbling laughter erupted. "Didn't mean to scare you," came a sweet voice with a slight French lilt.
Kim had danced with girls at clubs, safety in numbers, but she'd never been skin to skin with one, and this one had incredible curves that pressed against her in a way she wasn't used to. But something about her eyes held Kim's attention, and she let the woman dance with her, even starting to move herself. "There you go. Loosen up a bit. You're on vacation, are you not?"
With a sigh, Kim realized she was right. This was a vacation, and after three days alone, it just felt good to be with people. And maybe it was the light amount of alcohol streaming through her veins, but this woman was somehow enticing, and Kim found that intriguing.
"You're a good dancer," the woman said, leaning in to whisper in her ear. It sent chills down Kim's spine, and she couldn't understand her reaction. It was almost as though she was aroused by this woman. But that wasn't possible, was it?
"Thank you," she replied as the music shifted again. The DJ kept it mixed up, and for some reason, Kim's head spun at the swift change. "I'm feeling a little lightheaded. I should probably go to my room."
"I'll walk you there," the woman said, leaving no room for Kim to decline as she threaded their fingers tightly together and started walking. "What room are you in?" she asked as they finally moved far enough from the commotion to speak at a normal volume.
"347." She glanced sideways at the woman, trying to study her more closely in the bright lights around the hotel. They were about the same height, but the lean muscle of her legs and the dark tan of her skin made the woman look taller. Her blond streaked hair was pulled into a messy tail behind her head, and though she didn't seem to be wearing any makeup, her skin glowed around pale green eyes. "I'm Kim," she introduced herself awkwardly.
"I'm Autumn," the woman responded. "I've seen you around the last couple of days. You're here alone, no?"
Kim hesitated. Rules of travel in foreign places ran through her head, but this wasn't some lecherous man. It was just a woman who was being kind. Or maybe more than kind, but that didn't make sense. "Yes, I came alone. I had an entourage, but they all bailed."
Autumn laughed, that tinkling sound crawling over Kim's skin like some sort of delicious oil being spread and massaged in. "It sounds like your entourage is full of flaky friends. Who doesn't want to come to the Caribbean and have a wonderful time?" They reached the room, and Kim pulled out her key card to open the door. She turned to thank
Autumn, but the woman caught her off guard, moving into her and pushing her back into the room until she was against the wall, and Autumn's lips were on hers.
