The yellow armchair embraced her, while the warm light bathed her skin in gold. The bikini, radiant and cheeky, suited her perfectly, as if it had been made for this moment. The fabric was soft and firm at the same time, and with every movement, every little twist, her breasts pushed up slightly, as if they were striving towards freedom. She let it happen, as naturally as the light that enveloped her. She leaned back, felt the fabric on her skin, heard the click of the camera – but her thoughts had long been elsewhere. A faint smile played on her lips, but there was something deeper in her eyes, a soft glow that spoke of longing.
The Côte d’Azur. The thought of it made her chest heave, her heart beat faster. She imagined herself walking barefoot on the hot sand, the sea glistening before her, the waves reaching out to her like hands beckoning. She could feel the coolness of the water lapping at her legs, playful yet demanding, like invisible fingers dancing with her. It was more than just the beauty of the sea that called to her – it was the feeling of simply surrendering. Surrendering to life, to the moment, to the adventure she was seeking with every fiber of her body. She imagined letting go of everything, letting herself be carried by the sea, weightless, breathless, until the world stood still for a moment.
She loved this golden bikini not only because it flattered her figure – the soft line of her waist, the supple curves of her hips that came to life in the play of light and shadow – but because it made her feel like herself. Unprotected, vulnerable and yet beautiful. She wasn’t just the woman others saw in her, she was a girl who longed for something she couldn’t grasp. Perhaps for strong hands to catch her when she fell. For a touch that made her forget for a moment that she always had to be strong.
She wanted more than just looks. Of course the men would see her, she knew that. They would turn around when she walked along the promenade, her hair tousled by the wind, her skin still warm from the sun. But she didn’t dream of flighty flirtations or petty compliments. No, she wanted something that would leave her breathless. Something that made her feel through and through that she was alive. Perhaps a touch that made the blood pulsate in her veins. Or a smile that touched something inside her that she thought had long been lost.
The photographer called her name and she raised her eyes, giving him another smile. She did as he asked, but summer had long been racing inside her. She felt the sea inside her, wanting to embrace her, wild and gentle at the same time. And maybe, just maybe, someone there would see her as she really was: Free, full of longing and ready to surrender completely. Breathless, beautiful and infinitely vulnerable.
