Page 10 of Bearly Breathing

“Easy there, you should watch where you’re going. You okay?” the man’s voice was as rough as his hands.

Not unpleasant, just deep and very, very masculine. She squirmed under his gaze and wondered if it was possible to die of humiliation twice in one day. But back up a sec…

Did he just sniff her? Maybe she imagined that? She looked up into impossibly dark brown eyes and was once again stunned silent.

His eyes were like molten chocolate, the sinfully expensive kind. The planes of his face gave way to full luscious lips that she’d just bet tasted like heaven. And he had the cutest little dimple in his chin.

He cleared his throat and her gaze went back to his. Was that a smile playing at the corner of his mouth? She couldn’t be sure, captivated as she was by his now, nearly black eyes. Recognition flared between them, and Leya gasped.

“Uh, sorry, I was just going to get a new bathing suit-” she shut her mouth abruptly.

“Were you now? Well, you be careful,” he grumbled the words and turned away from her.

Leya shivered unconsciously against the sudden cold that came with his departure. She could have kicked herself. Could she have acted any more like an idiot? Ugh.

She looked down at her dowdy clothing. Maybe if she didn’t dress like a circus tent, he would’ve done more than just glance at her and run away. Yeah, right.

She narrowed her eyes and shook her head. She was not going to let a man, any man, dictate how she felt about herself. She wanted to change her wardrobe for herself.

Not because Gary had called her fat, or because this gorgeous stranger left her tongue-tied. With new determination in her step, she took the elevator and headed to the exclusive boutique.

“Can I help you find something, miss?” the question was asked by an older woman with a brilliant smile as Leya entered the hotel’s one boutique and scanned the rows of colorful dresses and flimsy underthings.

She had never tried to dress for anything other than camouflage, and she had no idea where to begin.

“Yes, I, uh, think I could use your help,” she smiled and told the woman what she wanted.

The saleswoman seemed to be blessed with a perfect eye for her body shape and coloring! An hour later, Leya had several items lined up for purchase and was still trying on more.

“Ah, miss! Yes! Yes, this is the one for you! The yellow looks wonderful with your lovely hair, it accentuates your blonde highlights! Oh, mama those men out there best be on guard!” The lightly accented voice of the woman who ran the Island Body Boutique smiled and complimented Leya.

For the first time in her adult life, Leya felt wonderful. She turned around in front of the full-length mirror and could hardly believe it. The cut and color of the swimsuit looked amazing on her full-figure. She’d have never guessed yellow for her hair and skin tone, but the woman was right.

She added the swimsuit to a similarly cut red one along with a few sundresses, and some of those flimsy panties and bras she would normally have never dared to buy.

Leya grinned wickedly. She had money in her savings and had never splurged on herself. She justified the purchases as necessary for her vacation and her new life motto! Leya was going to please herself this trip! Yep, this is gonna be great! Gleefully walking down the hall, she went to her hotel room to change.

She’d spent three hours total in the boutique! Thank goodness the hotel sported a Bear Claw Bakery! Liandra, the saleswoman, had gotten her an iced mocha latte about an hour ago. Otherwise she’d have been dead on her feet.

It was too late to swim, but there was always tomorrow! Liandra told her about the light buffet and live band at the tiki lounge right on the beach, it was there every night from five till midnight. It was seven now, and Leya had skipped lunch in favor of shopping.

She smiled. Second thing on my vacation-to-do-list, let my hair down!

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