He locked eyes with her and smiled, stroking her cheek. ‘Is this ok?’ His voice was hoarse.
‘Yeah, all good.’ She relaxed, as she accustomed herself to him, then abandoned all thoughts and gently rocked up and down. His gaze bored into her and she stared back; it scorched her until she wanted to look away or close her eyes. What did he see? Could he tell she wasn’t real? But I am. This was Taylor and she wanted this connection so badly. He broke the look, leaning in and kissing her.
Pleasure charged in her body as they rocked, making her smile and moan. He pulled out of the kiss to draw breath, and she shook her head. ‘No, don’t stop,’ she murmured, draping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for more. His lips parted for her and he returned her kiss lazily but crushingly intense at the same time. She nuzzled him and poured her attention onto his mouth. But she couldn’t concentrate. He moved faster, breathing hard, and she slipped over the edge into shattering oblivion.
His groan of pleasure resonated like an orchestra through the blinding lights. Her heart beat frantically as he panted in her ear. The roundabout of frenzy spun, and she clung to his back, digging her nails deep until everything slowed.
She flopped back and his warm weight pressed on top of her, his shuddering breaths landing on her shoulder. She relaxed her grip on him but almost instantly tightened it. He had to stay. He would, wouldn’t he? Please, don’t break this moment. Please, don’t let it end yet.
He rolled over and the chill of cold air and abandonment swept over Taylor. She pressed her lips together and covered her eyes. Had she been a terrible disappointment? He was out of bed. He flicked off the light and his footsteps receded into the bathroom. Taylor didn’t dare speak; her lungs were shrinking.
After a few moments, the door clicked, then the mattress lowered like he’d sat on it and seconds later, he moved in beside her. ‘Do you like to snuggle?’ he whispered.
‘Yes,’ she said, though she’d never had the opportunity before. She curled into him. A thrill of happiness threatened to spill out as tears. He pulled the duvet over them and held her tight.
‘Good, I do too.’
She buried herself in the heat of his chest and closed her eyes, unable to think of anything except the beauty of this moment. Long overdue sleep blanked out everything else, especially how many lies she’d told in the last few hours to get to this pinnacle of ecstasy.
Chapter 8
Magnus
Something about the morning-after smell kept Magnus from opening his eyes. Skylar’s, or Taylor’s, perfume mingled with his body spray, their sweat and a hint of vinegar made for the perfect wake up. Her soft cheek touched his shoulder and he relaxed into it. Yes, he had to get home later, but the urgency had left him. His family would be off to work. That left… He rolled his head around to squint at the bedside clock. Three hours until checkout time at eleven.
Skylar stirred but didn’t open her eyes. Her naked body moulded alongside his and he ran his hands over her, appreciating her trim figure, her smooth skin. Taylor? Seriously. If her name was Taylor, why hadn’t she changed it to something completely different? But his experiences of Skylar told him she wasn’t exactly a logical creature. The girl he’d met in the bar was like Taylor, sweet and gentle, but later, she’d morphed into a vamp. Now she seemed to have lost the Hollywood fakery. Had the night on the terrace been all for show? Was her whole life one phoney act after another?
With the wedding week looming, Magnus craved something to cling to. He’d grinned and smiled through the questions and comments for months, replying jovially, ‘Yeah, he’s my youngest brother. I can’t wait, it’ll be a blast. I’m so happy for him… Ah, you know me, best man duties will be great, I’ll turn my hand to whatever.’
Ha! Whatever indeed. Everything except being the model son. Competing for his parents’ love wasn’t the issue. They were generous with their affection and didn’t favour one son over the others. But when his youngest brother, Carl, had announced his engagement, a nagging sensation had chewed away at Magnus. I’m the oldest! And something about being the oldest and last married left an unsinkable feeling of inadequacy.
He lazed back and sighed, knowing he shouldn’t care. He had a good career, a great life and he wasn’t the marrying kind. All fine. But he imagined his mum’s face when he turned up later, alone. She wouldn’t say anything, but the look would say it all. ‘Here’s my eldest son, still single, still letting me down. If only he could settle with someone, I’d be happy.’
‘Hey, you.’ Taylor squinted out one eye and beamed.
‘Hey. Welcome back to the land of the living.’
‘I’ve been awake for ages.’ She propped herself on one elbow, trailing her fingers across Magnus’s chest. ‘I just didn’t want to open my eyes.’
‘Why? In case this was all a dream?’
‘Exactly.’
‘Well, now you’re awake, or you’ve opened your eyes at least, I can get up. I didn’t want to move in case I disturbed you.’
‘Oh, sure. So… Are you leaving right now?’
Magnus hoisted himself up. ‘Actually, no. I’m not in a great rush.’
‘Oh.’ Taylor smirked and ran her teeth along her lower lip.
‘Good news, isn’t it?’ He tweaked her cheek.
*
Magnus adjusted his shirt collar as he and Taylor got in the lift and headed for the breakfast room. ‘I hope we’re not too late,’ he muttered, checking his phone. ‘They stop serving at nine thirty.’
‘What time is it?’
‘Twenty past.’
‘Oops. That was a long shower.’
Magnus arched an eyebrow as the lift doors sprang open. ‘And a scorching hot one.’
She giggled.
The neanderthal part of him wanted her to stick around, but he needed her away. He had to focus on what he was supposed to be doing – being the model best man.
He made his way around the buffet, piling his plate with the remaining food, smiling at the attending staff as though he hadn’t arrived with only nine minutes to spare. After finding a window table, he set up his feast. Taylor joined him seconds later, laying a neat little bowl of fruit and yoghurt on the table.
‘Seriously? That’s all you’re having. It’s hardly worth the bother.’
‘After the grease-fest of last night, I’m on this for the rest of the year.’
‘Wimp,’ said Magnus, stabbing a sausage. His gaze left the deliciousness in front of him to look out the window. A clear February sky set sparkles dotting over the surface of the sea.
‘Is that the island over there?’ Taylor pointed at the hilly landmass to the left of the bay. Magnus returned to his sausage and shook his head.
‘No. It is out there, but you can’t see it from here. That’s an island called Kerrera. Mull’s much further out. The bay curves around and blocks the view. You can’t see it until you’re on the boat.’ He considered Taylor and frowned. ‘Speaking of which, are you sure you still want to go? Have you booked a hotel or what?’
‘Not yet.’
‘Well, you better do it, because once I’ve dropped you, you’ll be pretty much stranded there. It’s not a place you can walk about and there aren’t limos on hire. In fact, you’ll be lucky to get a taxi.’
‘Yeah.’ Taylor sat back and steepled her fingers, tapping the tips together. Her irises flashed and her expression looked impish. ‘About that.’
‘You’ve changed your mind? If you have, I’ll lend my full support to the idea. I know what you’re like and honestly, Mull is not a place for Skylar Rousse.’
‘That may be true and I actually agree with you, but I’ve been thinking.’
‘Yes.’
‘This is an escape for me. It’s like acting in a movie, only for real. Last night…’ She blinked and lowered her eyes to the table. ‘It was such a new experience. I was… Taylor, and I woke up beside a real guy. A nice guy, someone I like being with.’ She peeked up, fluttering her long lashes.
Magnus stopped chewing and furrowed his brow. She did, did she? He enjoyed her company too, bizarre as it seemed, but what was to stop it from being one big act? He swallowed his food. ‘That’s nice. But it doesn’t help your decision. I already told you, once I’m on Mull, I’m on best man duties and I won’t have time to meet up with you. You’ll be out on a limb.’
‘Unless I come with you.’
About to take a sip of orange juice, Magnus stopped, his glass suspended in mid-air. ‘How do you mean?’
‘I could come as your date. You know, the girlfriend your mom thinks is coming with you.’
‘Absolutely not. I am not lying to my family like that.’ He slammed his glass down.
‘Why not? You already lied to your mom.’
‘No, I didn’t.’ He frowned, pricking a fried egg, so the yolk oozed across the plate.
Taylor folded her arms. ‘Ahem. So, how come your mom thinks you’ve got a girlfriend coming with you when clearly you don’t? That sounds like a lie to me.’
‘Yeah, ok. But it wasn’t a lie, I just haven’t filled her in on the whole truth.’
There was the added complication of Julie, his ex, who still lived on the island. Boy, would she love a chance to snigger at him while she paraded around with a belly the size of a beachball. Julie hadn’t waited three months before finding someone else, and now she was pregnant. So, yes, he’d told his mum a new woman was accompanying him, despite the fact he’d split with the woman he was seeing a few weeks ago.
‘So, where’s the problem? Your mom said on the phone she didn’t even know your girlfriend’s name. It’s not even a convincing lie. If you tell her she got seasick or whatever, she’ll smell a rat straight away. And I don’t think that’ll please her. Especially as it seems to me, you invented the story anyway.’
‘Right, stop. Just stop. None of this is even remotely your business and I’ve already said no.’ He glowered at his food, ignoring Taylor’s burning gaze and the swoop in his gut. He was saying no to a week with someone who could make his life easier; someone whose company was a bit too enjoyable. He gave himself a little shake and frowned. They’d been together less than twenty-four hours and already crazy ideas were seeping through his weakened defences. That had to stop. But his mum would be thrilled if he turned up with Skylar, Julie would be silenced and Magnus could hold his head high. But no. It was a downright crazy idea.
‘No worries,’ said Taylor. ‘I just… you know, like your company.’
‘I like yours too,’ said Magnus. ‘But I can’t risk it. You’re a big star. If they found out who you are—’
‘They won’t. I’ll ditch Skylar and be Taylor. You tell me what you want in a girlfriend and voilà’ – she pinged her fingers into stars – ‘I’m that girl.’
‘Oh, Jesus Christ.’ Magnus rubbed his forehead and sighed.
‘Is that a yes?’
Magnus looked up and Taylor beamed at him. Once again, a casual jumper and jeans made up her understated fashion and she’d done her hair so it sat in a playfully messy style with loose strands twisted around her face. Her make-up was minimal and a far cry from her Hollywood style, but it gave her an all-over beauty that made Magnus want to tumble her back into bed. ‘I can’t believe I’m going to agree to this, but if I do, there’s to be no nonsense, Skylar.’
‘Taylor.’
‘Yeah, and that’s what I mean. You’re Taylor Rousse… In fact, you’re Taylor… Smith. You’re absolutely not a Hollywood movie star. My mum might die of shock if she thinks I’m dating someone like that. You’re just a normal girl who happens to be American. That won’t bother anyone. I meet people from all around the world. But you’ve got to keep up the act. If you get pissed and blurt it out, I’ll have all the stories I know about you round the paparazzi before you can even remember your real name.’
‘Yes, sir.’ She saluted him with a grin. ‘I’ll keep it up, no sweat.’ With a cheeky wink, she smiled, holding his gaze and setting a fire in his soul.
‘Right, so that’s settled. I must be bloody crazy.’ But more pleasant sensations were brewing inside: calmness and warmth. The satisfaction of having a companion he was at ease with, someone who could help him stay sane over the week ahead. Utterly crazy as it may be, he’d done it. He had a date for the wedding.
Chapter 9
Taylor
Squinting between two fingers, Taylor made hundreds of wishes – most of them involving not drowning – as Magnus drove the car down the slipway. With a thump, the light was eclipsed, and Taylor shifted her hand. The cavernous bowels of the ferry loomed around.
‘You do know what I do for a living,’ Magnus said, side-eyeing her. ‘I think I can get my car onto the ferry without any difficulty.’
‘It looks scary.’
‘Try landing a Boeing 747 on an icy runway, then get back to me.’
Taylor turned her face to him and smiled. ‘I’d like you to fly me one day.’
‘I’ll give you my roster and you can book a flight because I’m not going back to private.’
A man in a fluorescent coat beckoned them so close to the car in front they were almost touching. ‘How close do we have to be?’ asked Taylor. The man tapped the hood and Magnus dragged on the brake.
‘They pack them in like sardines. Come on, let’s get out of here.’ He unstrapped his belt and jumped out. Taylor followed, squeezing between the car and the ship’s metal structure. ‘This is where your Hollywood dress size comes in handy.’ Magnus smirked.
‘So I see.’ Taylor edged around, following Magnus up a steep staircase. When they emerged, she drank it in. ‘Oh, it’s a proper ship.’ Neat shelves with postcards, snacks and souvenirs lined a small store. Beside that was a restaurant. Signs overhead pointed to an amusement area and viewing deck. In the open-plan section ahead was a comfy seating area.
‘Obviously. What did you expect?’
‘I’m not exactly sure. I haven’t been on many boats. Just a couple of yacht parties and we didn’t go far out to sea.’
‘Great. So there’s a chance you might get seasick for real… darling.’
Taylor gave him a playful push. ‘You’re not actually going to call me that, are you?’
‘I might if the mood takes me. Let’s take a walk outside. I like to be out when we leave the harbour, it’s traditional.’
‘Is it? I thought you’d want to be with the driver.’
‘The captain,’ Magnus corrected. ‘No, I’ll let him do his job. I’ve had a go at the helm before. We did a school trip as kids and I got to steer the ship for about fifteen seconds. I love sailing. I can’t believe you’ve never been on a boat. You haven’t lived.’
A fresh wind swirled around outside, biting Taylor’s neck. She drew up the collar of her soft pink jacket, shivering. ‘It’s freezing.’ Stamping her feet, she drummed the deck with the soles of her Converse boots.
‘We’re not even out at sea yet. You need to get a tougher skin. I told you this wouldn’t be your kind of place.’
‘I can handle it. Why don’t we go up front and do the Titanic pose?’
Magnus burst out laughing and Taylor’s face cracked too. He shook his head and put his hand on her shoulder. ‘Ok, Kate.’
In everything that had happened over the last twenty-four hours, Taylor had forgotten what she was supposed to be doing. Forgotten to worry about Skylar or even to think about what her sister, her parents and their entourage would make of the missing Taylor. She’d sent one message to Liesel, saying she’d found her own place to stay and to leave her alone. And she’d turned off all notifications.
Magnus stepped closer and wrapped his arm around her. ‘You can’t get to the front of these ships unless you’re in the crew.’
‘Shame.’ But a flush of warmth filled her from the inside out. Real people did this kind of thing. They made trips home to see families, they had fun, they felt wanted.
‘Though I suspect if you turned on the charm, you could bribe som
eone.’
‘Me?’ said Taylor.
‘It worked on me.’ Magnus took a few steps forward.
‘Yeah, but I’m incognito, remember.’
‘Tell you what, we could do this instead.’ He leaned in and captured her lips. Taylor’s tummy flipped and a bubble of contentment swelled inside her. Magnus caressed her cheekbones, holding her firm.
When they broke apart, he leaned his forehead to hers. Taylor closed her eyes, drinking in the moment.
‘Come here,’ he said, gently leading her to the railing and wrapping his arms around her from behind, cocooning her, his warmth shielding her from the wind. If this was part of the act, she didn’t want the shoot to end.
As the boat glided away from the port, she relaxed into him. This was a view like no other and she wanted to commit it to memory. One day, when she was back in Hollywood, hidden away and trapped, this was something she wanted to pull up and remember.
Magnus nuzzled into her and she quivered. He unzipped his padded jacket and wrapped Taylor inside. ‘Better?’
‘Too good,’ she said from her dreamlike bubble.
As the landmass in the distance grew larger and closer, Taylor experienced an out-of-body sensation of leaving something behind, something she couldn’t go back and pick up. But she wasn’t sure what it was exactly.
They spent the full hour on deck with no inclination to move or go inside. A loudspeaker announced for them to return to their cars and Taylor shuffled. ‘Wait a bit,’ said Magnus. ‘There’s no hurry, it’s always a crush on the stairs. I like to watch the boat come in.’ He chuckled and it tickled her ears. ‘I’ve turned into my dad. He used to traumatise us as children by always waiting for the boat to dock before getting back to the car. We always thought we’d be stuck on board.’
‘Yeah, so let’s go.’ Outside of his embrace, the wind bit, but it wasn’t long before they were back on the lower deck and in the car. Then they were driving out of the darkened hull and onto the island. Magnus knew where to go, so Taylor didn’t waste time looking at signs, she just tried to catch all the sights. First a little village, Craignure, then a narrow road, trees, hills, fields and glorious countryside.
A Flight of Fancy (Scottish Island Escapes Book 6) Page 7