Downunder Heat

By Alysha Ellis

Hot sun, hot sand and a hot, hot man. Who says an older woman can't have adventure?

Kitty Benson left her home in the UK to find the warmth of the sun Downunder'. She never expected the journey to include a life-threatening experience. A toned, tanned Adonis—Zakk—rescues Kitty from a dangerous rip current her first day at the beach. Alive and sun-kissed by the downunder heat, when Kitty meets her rescuer again, the spark that piqued her interest turns to flames...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
• Release date: Oct 27, 2015
• ISBN: 9781784308391

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Downunder Heat

ISBN # 978-1-78430-839-1

©Copyright Alysha Ellis 2015

Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright October 2015

Edited by Stacey Birkel and Jennifer Douglas

Totally Bound Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorized or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2015 by Totally Bound Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN

Totally Bound Publishing is a subsidiary of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

Warning:

This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Totally Sizzling and a Sexometer of 2.

DOWNUNDER HEAT

Alysha Ellis

Hot sun, hot sand and a hot, hot man. Who says an older woman can’t have adventure?

Kitty Benson left her home in the UK to find the warmth of the sun ‘Downunder’. She never expected the journey to include a life-threatening experience. A toned, tanned Adonis—Zakk—rescues Kitty from a dangerous rip current her first day at the beach. Alive and sun-kissed by the downunder heat, when Kitty meets her rescuer again, the spark that piqued her interest turns to flames…

Dedication

To the real Kitty. Thanks for the inspiration, Caroline.

Trademarks Acknowledgment

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

Neighbors: Network Ten Australia

Jaws: Universal Studios

Skype: Skype, Inc.

British Airways: International Consolidated Airlines Group, S.A.

Chapter One

Kitty dropped her bag on the hot concrete of the platform, spread her arms and took a deep breath. Even here, inside the railway station, the salty scent of the sea wafted in on the warm breeze. All you doom and gloom naysayers are missing out on this, she crowed to herself. Tell me I’m mad now, Aunty Joyce. Who cared if she’d chucked in a perfectly good job? It was totally worth it already.

The sun etched sharp lines of light and shadow on the city streets, and even at six p.m. on an Australian summer evening, the heat felt solid, like walking into a wall. Twenty-four—or was it thirty-six—hours ago? The fatigue clogging her brain left her way too tired to compute the changes in time zones—she’d been wrapped in a heavy woolen coat, shivering her way to Heathrow. Now a thin film of sweat stuck her shirt to her skin.

The slight discomfort didn’t matter. Kitty was gloriously, delightfully warm.

Even the effort of dragging her case along behind her as she set off to find her new apartment didn’t dim her spirits. An avenue of exotic, red-flowered trees, their branches linked overhead, created a cool, shaded tunnel. People in sleeveless shirts and shorts strolled past, smiling and talking. Even the sparrows hopping about stealing crumbs looked happier here than they did at home.

The real estate agent’s instructions were easy to follow—the envelope containing the key sat in the letterbox, right where the agent had promised it would be. Kitty grinned. Everything was perfect. "Kitty, my girl, this was the best decision you have ever made."

The apartment was more than big enough for her needs, with a living room, a separate galley kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom, all fully furnished. Throwing open the windows let in a fresh sea breeze that blew away the stuffiness from the room. A cool shower did the same for her. She dried herself on a fluffy white towel from the pile of supplied linen, threw a sheet onto the bed, fell face first onto it and slept.

* * * *

Thirteen hours later, she opened her eyes and stared grittily at the unfamiliar walls. Memory rushed back. Australia. Adventure. Definitely not sleep. The beach was only four blocks away. There were things she needed to buy, but not when crystal clear water, golden sand and sunshine beckoned. The shopping could wait. Kitty couldn’t.

Getting out of bed and dressed took only minutes. Her pace didn’t slow until she reached the steps that led down to the shore. The sun shone, the ocean sparkled, tiny waves whispered against the shore and a cool breeze barely ruffled her hair. The sigh that escaped her lips was pure contentment.

A crowd of teenagers swept past her, each one of them bending to pull the shoes from their feet in order to squeak barefoot across the sand.

Assuming that was how it was done, Kitty bent from the knees—because there was no way she was going to shove her middle-aged bum up in the air for people to snigger at—kicked off her leather sandals and put them in her bag. She plodded down the stairs to take her first step onto an Australian beach…

Ouch! The sand was so hot it burned! Her feet did an insane little dance, lifting up, one after another, apparently trying to perfect the art of levitation. Move, woman, she ordered herself. While you still have some skin left.

Her bizarre shuffle and accompanying chant continued across the beach. Ouch! Hop. Ouch! Hop. Ouch!

Closer to the water, where the hard packed surface retained a little moisture, her tortured feet at last found cool relief.

How could Australians stand it? They strolled along as easily as if they were crossing the living room carpet.

They didn’t seem to use sun loungers or chairs either. People lay stretched out on the sand, glistening bodies soaking up the sun. A woman with her two children stopped next to her, pulled three towels out of a bag and arranged them on the sand. So, that was how it was done. It looked easy enough. Strolling across the sand like a local might have defeated her, but dealing with a piece of cloth couldn’t be that hard.

With a flick of the wrist, she tossed her towel onto the sand, but, instead of settling lazily into a long strip like everyone else’s, it bunched up into a sorry-looking bundle. Sighing, Kitty knelt down and smoothed it out with her hands. Now to spread out and soak up that sun.

Unfortunately, if her head and arms were on the towel, most of the rest of her ended up on the sand. The beach was lovely, but being covered in sticky golden grains…not so much.

A quick glance around pointed out a significant difference between Kitty and the people lying near her. They lay on multi-colored rectangles the size of blankets! Hers was nothing but a small, white, sadly inadequate bath towel.

Around her, people casually stripped down to their bathers as if they did it every day of their lives. Easy to be relaxed about revealing your body when it was long, lean and tanned to a golden brown, Kitty thought bitterly, rather than so white she could almost be considered blue and—she had to be honest—somewhat soft and pudgy.

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she unzipped her skirt and wriggled it down her hips, then dragged the top off over her head. No one pointed and laughed so she let go the breath she’d been holding.

A quick scurry took her straight down into the water, looking neither right nor left until she was immersed up to her hips.

Like liquid silk, the cool wash of the ocean smoothed over and around her, easing away the heat and the tension. With spread arms, she let her body tumble backwards into the cradling sea. Yes, oh yes. This was what she had traveled so far to find.

A wave, on its way to spatter on the shore in a spray of foamy ripples, lifted her. The movement was slight, the sea calm. The peaceful rocking soothed her soul.

The distant sound of a whistle and voices vaguely impinged on her consciousness, but she ignored them. Tranquility superseded curiosity, especially today.

A wavelet splashed against her face, pulling her out of her dreamy state. Time to head back in. But when she rolled over and took a quick look landwards to orientate herself, her muscles stiffened and she sank. A panicked kick brought her, spluttering and coughing, back to the surface. Her heart raced. How had she drifted so far out in such a short time? There had been no big waves, no undertow.

As