The last thing she remembered was Nicholas's face. The first thing she felt was a pulse under her cheek that she hoped was his.
Her eyes fluttered open to gold, but not from torches.
Gold water lapping against skin she couldn't account for and a warmth so thorough it had settled into her bones without asking.
Confusion came first. Her brain felt like someone had swung a sledgehammer. Then the tingling registered. Sparks lit up every inch of her skin like the sun after a long winter. She was in water. Her bare skin was against someone else's bare skin and there was a lot of contact happening in a lot of places.
Her eyes opened fully and the gasp came out before she could stop it.
Naked.
Nothing separated her from the man holding her but warm water and whatever dignity she still had left, which, at this point, could fit in a thimble and still have room for a middle finger.
Her face went the color of a pomegranate.
