Dusk had painted the secluded cove in bruised shades of violet, rose, and deep indigo. Far away from the manicured lawns and glowing cabanas of the main resort, this private stretch of coast was wild, enclosed by high, dark limestone cliffs that carved out a sanctuary against the turquoise sea. The ocean was impossibly warm, sweeping onto the shore in quiet, rhythmic pulses that whispered over the sand.
Sophia walked along the water’s edge, her bare feet sinking into the soft, sun-warmed sand. She wore a sheer, white linen beach wrap that was open at the front, fluttering in the balmy trade winds, exposing the high-cut white bikini beneath. Her dark curls were wild, damp from the sea air, cascading over her shoulders.
Behind her, the quiet rustle of shifting sand signaled Mark’s approach
