Mia blinked, surprised. “Um, sure. You don’t think it’ll get too dark soon?”
“I can see pretty well in the dark, plus there is some moonlight. You have nothing to be afraid of.”
“Okay, then sure.” If she didn’t get eaten by mosquitoes, then this could be really nice.
Taking her hand, Korum led her outside. The sun had just set, and there was still an orange glow behind the trees, which appeared like dark silhouettes against the bright sky. The temperature was getting a little cooler, the day’s heat starting to dissipate, and Mia could hear the chirping of some insects and the rustling of leaves in the warm, tropical-scented breeze. A few feet away, a large iguana scooted off a rock and into the shrubs, apparently seeking to avoid them.
“How did the rest of the trial go?” Mia asked. “I stopped watching all the witness testimonies after about five hours.”
“It was fairly uneventful,” Korum said, smiling down at her. “You didn’t miss much.”
“Do you think anyone believed Loris when he made those accusations against you?”
“I’m sure some did.” He didn’t sound overly concerned about that. “But he has no evidence to substantiate his claims.”
“Arus seemed to be on your side,” Mia said, carefully stepping around a fallen log. It was getting darker by the minute, and they were still a good distance away from the beach.
“He has no other choice,” Korum explained. “He has to side with the evidence.”
“Why don’t you like him?” Mia asked, looking up to him. “He doesn’t seem like a bad person . . .”
“He’s not,” Korum admitted. “Just misguided in some ways. He doesn’t always see the big picture.”
“And you do?”
Korum’s smile widened. “For the most part.”
For the next couple of minutes, they walked in companionable silence, with Mia concentrating on where she was stepping and Korum seemingly absorbed in thought. There was something very peaceful about this moment, from the soft glow of the twilight to the quiet roar of the ocean in the distance.
For the first time, Mia fully realized just how tumultuous her relationship with Korum had been thus far. In many ways, it was like a roller coaster ride, with plenty of passion, drama, and excitement, but very few moments like this, where she got to spend time with him without her pulse racing a mile a minute from either sexual arousal or some strong emotion. When she’d imagined herself having a boyfriend, this was always how she’d pictured it – long, pleasant walks together, quiet time spent simply enjoying the other person’s presence. And in this moment, she could pretend that’s exactly what Korum was to her – a boyfriend, a regular human lover whom she could take to meet her parents without worry, someone with whom she could have a future . . .
Suddenly, her foot hit a rock, and Mia stumbled. Before she could do more than gasp, Korum caught her and lifted her up into his arms.
“Are you all right?” he asked, looking down at her with concern.
In response, Mia wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head on his shoulder, feeling unusually needy. “I’m fine. Just being a klutz.”
“You’re not a klutz,” Korum denied. “You just don’t see well when it gets dark.”
“True,” Mia said, inhaling the warm scent of his skin near the throat area. She felt strangely content like this, being held so gently in his powerful arms. It occurred to her that she no longer feared him, at least on a physical level. It was hard to believe that just a few days ago, she thought he might kill her for helping the Resistance.
He walked for a few more minutes, carrying Mia, until they reached the beach. Setting her down carefully, he kept his hands on her waist. “Do you feel up for a swim?” he asked, and Mia could make out the sensuous curve of his lips in the faint light of the almost-full moon.
“I’m not wearing a bathing suit,” Mia said, looking up at him. The night air was also getting a little cooler – perfect for a walk, but likely less pleasant on wet skin.
“There’s no one around,” he told her. “Except me. And I’ve seen you naked.”
For some reason, that simple statement jolted Mia out of her calm contentment. Her lower belly tightened with arousal, and her nipples hardened. She felt much warmer all of a sudden, as though the hot sun was still beaming down on them. Staring up at him, she asked, “What if someone comes by?”
“They won’t,” Korum promised. “I reserved this portion of the beach just for us tonight.”
He had reserved the beach just for them? She hadn’t realized someone could do that. But it made sense, of course, that if anyone could, it would be Korum; as a Council member, he likely enjoyed special privileges in Lenkarda.
Apparently getting impatient with her lack of response, Korum decided to take matters into his own hands. Taking a couple of steps back, he stripped off his own clothes and removed his sandals, dropping everything carelessly on the sand. Mia’s breathing quickened. His tall, powerfully muscled body was now completely naked, and the moonlight revealed the hard erection between his legs.
“Take off your clothes,” he ordered softly. “I want you naked right now.”
Staring at him, Mia licked her suddenly dry lips. She could feel the soft material of her dress rubbing against her hard nipples and the moisture starting to gather between her thighs. Her whole body felt sensitized, her heart beating harder and blood rushing faster through her veins. Memories of last night’s disturbing – yet incredibly erotic – experience were suddenly at the front of her mind, and she swallowed nervously, wondering if he intended to teach her another lesson or fulfill some other fantasy she didn’t know she had.