It was just for one night.

That’s what Lyra told herself, anyway. The ocean waves crashed against the beach, sparkling in the moonlight. Aside from the sound of the waves, silence filled the area. Dress in swimming attire, he’d said. Swimming at night was frowned upon but not illegal, and he told her not to worry about anything happening to them if someone caught them. It gave Lyra an uneasy feeling, but she brushed it off as nothing more than nerves and butterflies.

Lyra had picked out a two-piece bikini, black with a soft pink floral pattern. Over it, she wore a white, flowy dress that she often used as a bikini cover. A towel lay over the sand nearby, a set of flipflops resting by it. Ashara Beach was generally easy to walk around barefoot, as shells weren’t as common as they were on other beaches in the nearby area. 

“Ah, there you are! I apologize for being late, my dear,” a male voice sounded behind her, causing Lyra to flinch slightly. 

She turned, bright blue eyes glowing in the moonlight against pale skin and black hair that swept in front of her face with the soft breeze. A small smile crossed her lips as Lyra watched the man walk towards her, tall, handsome. Mysterious.

Nash was a tall, dark, handsome man, one that had an air of enigma around him. They’d only met briefly at a dinner conference hours before but strangely had instant chemistry. One they both wanted to explore. 

He’d shown up in what appeared mostly swim attire. Dark, maybe black, swim shorts, a white tank top, and a pair of flipflops. Over his shoulder, Nash had a dark towel, which he quickly moved to drape on the sand next to Lyra’s.

“First time here in Ashara, right? Did you find your way here all right?”

“I did, though I had to search the directions on my phone,” Lyra admitted with a shy sort of smile. “Thank you for inviting me out here. This beach is lovely.”

“You’re very welcome, Miss Lyra.” Nash grinned confidently. “I do hope we get to know each other very well.”