Page 29 of Kidnapped from the Paradise Resort

She pressed the suction cup to her temple and concentrated on the silky feel and the tropical scent as well as the creamy white consistency of the sunblock lotion she usually used back home when she went swimming or visited the beach. When the machinedingedshe opened it up and was amazed to see a bottle that looked exactly like something she would buy back on Earth. It even had the right label on it!

“Thanks,” she said to the attendant.

He shrugged and nodded.

“You want something to drink while you’re up here? I can make you any kind of Paradisian delicacy or you can make your own from the Thought-cooker,” he said.

“Actually, that sounds nice. Make me something frosty and sweet, if you have anything like that,” she said.

“Sure.” Shrugging, he pressed the suction cup of one of the Thought-cookers to his temple. After a moment, it dinged and he opened the door to reveal a long-stemmed crystal glass filled with what looked like a frozen daiquiri. Kara saw bright green, neon pink, and vivid blue swirled together. There were also several slices of exotic alien fruits on the sugared rim of the glass.

“Oh, that looks nice! Thank you,” Kara said. She decided that she had definitely been too hard on him. He was certainly nicer than Feex and he seemed to know what he was doing.

Taking her bottle of sunblock and her mixed drink with her, Kara went back to her seat. She tried a sip of the drink first and found it was tart and sweet and refreshing with a flavor like some kind of berry mixed with kiwi and pineapple and some other flavor she couldn’t quite name. It had a slightly spicy aftertaste that wasn’t unpleasant, though it was unexpected. Kara took another sip before setting it carefully on the small round table beside her beach chair.

She smeared the lotion all over her skin, being careful to get the back of her neck and her back, though it was hard to reach. Still, she was glad not to have Feex around—she definitely didn’t want his hands all over her!

She swam and sipped her drink by the pool for several hours, feeling more and more relaxed all the time. The sunblock she’d made for herself seemed to be working—she didn’t have any redness or tightness in her skin. Shedidthink maybe she was feeling a little more sensitive—the soft breeze that was blowing brushed against her bare skin in a way that felt almost sensuous—but that wasn’t a bad thing. It made her feel alive and sexy—all in all, she was having the perfect day.

A little after noon, she left the pool and went back to her suite for lunch. This time she decided to try something more ambitious with the Thought-cooker. She imagined a delicious mixed salad she’d had at a restaurant once with all kinds of fresh fruits and a special shallot and balsamic dressing. It was topped with crumbled blue cheese and candied walnuts.

There were so many ingredients it was something Kara probably never would have tried making just for herself back home. But the Thought-cooker whipped it up in no time and it tasted just the same as it had in the restaurant.

“Perfect!” she exclaimed, after taking a taste. No wonder Gaela wished she could buy one of these machines—it would make cooking soeasy.

She finished every last bite and watched a show on the Love Channel about a woman who was being forced to marry a man who was the enemy of her family. She was determined to reject him and run away as soon as she could. However, he turned out to be extremely handsome and protective—he beat up some men who were trying to attack her—and she fell in love with him.

Since Kara loved the “enemies to lovers” trope, this show was exactly the kind of thing she liked. She snuggled on the couch with an ultra-soft fur blanket she’d found in the closet and watched it from beginning to end, relishing every predictable plot twist. She even cried a little at the happy ending and then sighed regretfully. Why couldn’t she find a man like the one in the drama she’d just watched?

What about J’orn? He’d be happy to protect you and love you,whispered a little voice in her head. Kara pushed it away, once again reminding herself that older woman/younger man romancesonlyworked in romance books—not in real life.

She was about to take another long bath, just because she wanted one, when there was a knock on her door.

“Who is it?” Kara asked cautiously, going to stand in front of the door but not opening it. She had been really careless, letting Feex in earlier today. She was determined not to make the same mistake again.

But it wasn’t her attendant who answered her.

“Excuse me, Lady Kara,” Brother Nono called from the other side of the door. “I’m sorry to bother you but My Lady Gaela asked me to come over and remind you that it’s time for the massage you planned to go to together.”

“Oh, thank you—I forgot all about that!” Kara exclaimed. “Give me a minute to change and I’ll be right out.”

She’d been wearing a robe but she hurried to change into a light sundress—she figured she would probably be taking it off for the massage anyway—and let herself out into the hallway.

Gaela and Nono were waiting for her and Gaela’s face broke into a wide smile when Kara joined them.

“There you are! I was afraid I might have scared you off last night with all my naughty antics.”

“Oh, well…we both had a lot of wine to drink,” Kara offered.

“Yes indeed, we did!” Gaela agreed, smiling. “You can’t pay any attention to me,” she added as she linked her arm through Kara’s and led her down the hallway. “I justloveteasing my attendants. But don’t worry—Nono is all locked up in his little cage again and he’s going to behave like a saint. Isn’t that right, Nono?”

Brother Nono’s golden cheeks went dark with a blush and his third eye closed tightly.

“Yes, My Lady,” he said, nodding.

“He was really so good though—he only came twice more last night after you left,” Gaela confided to Kara as they walked down a winding spiral staircase. “Once inside me and once when I was giving him the Kiss of Pleasure. I don’t normally do that for my attendants, you know,” she added. “But Nono was being so very good and tryingso hardto keep his vows intact, I felt like he deserved a reward.”

“Um, okay.” Kara nodded.Nowshe was beginning to feel uncomfortable, but it seemed to be too late to back out of the massage. She wondered uneasily if Gaela had more exhibitionist activities planned for them. Was she going to try and turn the massage into some kind of sex show? There was no way to know and just at that moment, they came to a set of broad double doors that were framed in dark gray stone.

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