‘I can manage.’ She gripped the straps and tried to pull herself onto the craft. ‘At least, I think I can.’
He watched her flounder, and resisted the urge to help. He’d been sexist once already today, he didn’t want to repeat his blunder.
She resorted to jumping onto the seat, but bounced straight off and disappeared under the water.
He pulled her up. ‘Careful, there.’
‘Ugh, salty,’ she said, spitting water from her mouth.
‘Look on the bright side.’
She wiped her mouth. ‘Which is…?’
‘You’re wet already, so it doesn’t matter if you end up in the water.’
‘That is not a bright side. That is a reason to quit and head back to the hotel for a bath and cocktail.’
‘I thought you were off cocktails.’
‘After this, I may reconsider.’ She climbed onto the sofa-seat and dragged herself towards the back.
He tried really hard not to stare at her backside as he climbed onto the inflatable sofa-seat in front of her.
The driver of the speedboat yelled for them to, ‘Buckle up and hold on!’
‘Thank God these things come with a seatbelt,’ Lily said, fastening the strap. ‘At least we won’t end up in the water.’
In theory.
The driver gave them a questioning thumbs-up, to check they were ready, and then sped off.
There was a few seconds’ delay before the slack in the rope tightened. When it did, the inflatable sofa-seat jerked upwards and they were thrown backwards.
Lily screamed.
Will laughed.
They both grappled to hold on.
The boat bounced along the water, throwing them upwards. To one side. Then the other.
He’d thought the crash helmets were a tad overkill. How wrong he’d been. Their heads banged together every few seconds as the chair turned one way, then the other.
Lily was screaming, her eyes firmly shut, her body being tossed around like a rag doll.
One large bump saw her fly upwards and land on him.
Ouch. So much for the seatbelt, it had snapped open.
He groaned when her elbow dug into his stomach.
‘S— so— sorry!’ she yelled, trying to get off him.
‘Don’t worry about it!’
And then the boat changed direction and she headbutted him again.
‘This is not fun!’ she yelled, making him laugh.
He lost his grip and fell backwards. ‘Christ, no!’
She started laughing. ‘It’s hell!’
‘I agree!’
‘You said it would be fun!’ Water splashed into her face making her squeal.
He slipped further down the inflatable. ‘I lied!’
The boat ahead suddenly jerked sideways. Far from being secured by the seatbelts, both gadgets failed, and Will and Lily slipped free from the straps and flew in the air.
Oh, crap.
The only thing he heard as he hit the water was Lily screaming.
He sank underwater, the force of the landing overriding the lifejacket’s ability to keep him afloat. He kicked his way to the surface and looked frantically for her.
She emerged a few seconds later, flailing her arms about.
He swam over. ‘It’s okay, I’ve got you.’ He pulled her towards him, and then realised she wasn’t drowning, she was laughing.
‘Well, they were rubbish seatbelts,’ she said, her arms encircling his neck.
‘Sorry we ended up in the water.’
‘I’m not.’
‘You’re not?’
‘I couldn’t have taken a second more of that torture.’ She held onto him, her eyes locked on his. ‘If he hadn’t thrown us off, I was ready to jump.’
‘Not a fan, huh?’
‘Put it this way, I’d rather sign up for Zumba and Wipeout combined, than endure that again.’ She looked around for the speedboat. ‘Please tell me it’s over?’
‘The driver’s indicating for us to get back on.’
She tightened her grip. ‘I am not getting back on that thing.’
‘Okay, we don’t have to,’ he said, laughing. ‘Which leaves us with two options. Either get towed back to shore, or swim? Any preference?’
‘Swim. Definitely, swim. My nerves are shredded.’
He smiled. ‘Are you going to let go of me?’
‘No.’ She squeezed him harder.
‘Helpful.’
‘Is… is that a problem?’ Her teeth had started to chatter.
‘Now why would you think that?’ He shook his head, resigned to his fate. ‘Climb aboard.’
‘Thank you.’ She twisted her body so she was behind him. ‘My hero,’ she said, hugging him tightly.
‘Yeah, right.’ He twisted to look at her. ‘Secure?’
‘Very.’ She smiled and for a moment he stopped breathing. Her face was next to his, their cheeks touching… And he was expected to swim like this?
He was a strong swimmer, but he’d never attempted breaststroke with a woman attached to his back before. It wasn’t the physical exertion that was the problem, it was the distraction of feeling her warm breath against his ear. Her arms encircling his chest. And her body resting on his.
Will’s heart contracted, filling him with a sense of acute loss. However much he tried to avoid intimacy, his body craved it. He missed laughing with someone, cuddling up on the sofa to watch a film with someone, and sharing a bed with someone.
Most of all, he missed loving someone. And being reminded of that hurt like hell.
Once again, he was torn. Torn between wanting to throw her off his back, and torn between wanting to turn around and kiss her senseless. But if he did that, he might never stop. And that was a risk he wasn’t willing to take.
Chapter Seven
Friday, 26 March
Being awake at four a.m. might be a strange experience for some people. Not for Lily. In the last months of her granddad’s life she’d regularly been up during the night, taking him to the toilet, or changing his bedsheets. Some nights he’d be so distressed and in such discomfort that she’d had to sit with him to calm him down. Panic attacks were common when death was looming, apparently. A person would often experience a deep sense of foreboding, which in the early hours of the night could be extremely frightening. For both of them.
So it wasn’t uncommon for Lily to watch the sun slowly rise and witness the moment when night morphed into a new day. But the dismal sunsets in North London were nothing compared to the magical spectacle of the Caribbean.
She’d never seen anything more beautiful in her life, or seen such vibrant colours. The pale sand below was cool against her skin, no longer warmed from the hot sun. The long stretch of empty beach bled seamlessly into the inky-blue of the sea, where the waves caressed the sand like a lover. Shafts of coral light shone so brightly it was like the sky was on fire. The glow flared upwards, streaking the sky, fading into purple and ending with a wash of indigo. It was breathtaking, hypnotic, and incredibly romantic.
As if sensing the wonder radiating off of her, Will squeezed her hand, his thumb circling her palm. The movement was slow and sensual, reminding her of the intimacy they’d shared just a few hours before. Like she needed reminding.
She’d spent almost the entire last four days of her holiday with Will. They’d eaten together, sunbathed together, and gone sightseeing together. They’d even shared a couple’s massage, something that had contributed to last night’s intimacy. It was hardly surprising. The romantic setup was designed to evoke the senses. Why else would the room be scented with lavender, lit with candles, and have soft music playing in the background? The sight of Will lying on the bed next to her covered in little more than a flannel, his bare skin drenched in essential oils, had sent her hormones into a frenzy.
Judging by the way he’d returned her watchful gaze, Lily was pretty sure he felt the same way. His dilated pupils had been fixated on her as the masseuse had kn
eaded the back of her thighs. It had left her in no two minds about where his thoughts were headed. Or hers. The end result had been inevitable.
It had started on Monday with a trip to the local golf club, which was a sort of ‘in joke’, following her teasing Will about his sporting prowess. Turns out, he wasn’t lying when he said he couldn’t play. But his wayward aim was a lot better than hers. She had barely managed to hit the ball, let alone putt anything. Consequently, after much hilarity, and also annoying the other golfers who were trying to play seriously, they’d returned to the hotel for a swim.
On Tuesday, they’d spent the day at the beach and booked one of the wicker pods for dinner. The pods were built on stilts and were extended over the sea; they looked like they were floating above the water. The interior had long bed-like cushions as well as a dining area. It wasn’t surprising that after they’d eaten jerk chicken and refried beans and ordered mojitos, they’d ended up lying side by side watching the sunset.
The occasional touch of hands, legs and feet, had led to hand-holding, followed by Will’s arm sliding under her neck, supporting her as they’d cuddled.
And then they’d kissed.
It had started out with a look that had lingered, followed by unconscious leaning, as if drawn together like magnets. Their lips had touched, tentatively at first, as if exploring the idea, posing a question for the other to answer.
Lily’s enthusiastic response seemed to be enough to reassure Will that his advances were welcomed, and the kissing switched from soft and restrained, to deep and frantic. A situation that only ended when the pod bed had moved beneath them, and they had realised their exuberance was in danger of causing a structural collapse.
By the time they’d exited the pod, their heated exchange was cooled by the waves splashing against their legs as they’d headed for shore. A look had passed between them as they’d paused by the hotel lift, both knowing that if they resumed kissing it would result in only one outcome.
Despite both agreeing that parting company would be the best action, it was evident that neither had wanted the evening to end. Not that she didn’t want to take things further. Boy, did she. Big time. She just needed a little more time to build her courage. This was a huge step. For her, anyway. Thankfully, Will had understood and was happy to go at her pace.
But if nothing else, the sense of building anticipation had made for a thrilling Wednesday. Whether it was swimming together in the infinity pool, or enjoying the bubbling warmth of the whirlpool, they’d held hands, kissed frequently, and looked to anyone watching like a couple in the throes of a passionate affair.
They’d talked, but not about anything significant. They were both happy to steer clear of real life and focus on the nonsensical. They compared what superpowers they’d like to have, and played guess-the-backstory of the other hotel guests. They’d talked about TV, films, music, and food. Lily knew that Will was pro-Marmite, but anti-shellfish. He was an early riser, but never went to bed before midnight. He wore boxer shorts, but hated socks. His ambition was to trek across the Sahara Desert.
They’d discussed it all. A range of topics which covered everything, except reality. Or life, back home. Something Lily was relieved about, especially as she’d lied about her job. She would deliberately avoided any topic that might lead her back to admitting that she wasn’t a costume designer after all, but only a lowly pattern-cutter working in a miserable factory, for an equally miserable boss.
In the space of just two weeks, a whole new Lilith Monroe had been invented. A less tense version, someone who was more alert and who slept better than her previous counterpart. And it wasn’t just the physical change. Lily felt emotionally calmer, too, like she’d shifted from a place of misery, into experiencing moments of pure happiness.
She wasn’t naive enough to believe her grief had miraculously disappeared. It was a respite. A reprieve. She was existing in a bubble, shielded from the real world and sampling the hedonistic delights of life, without the mundanity of her normal existence.
She still felt a little untethered, like an astronaut who’d been cut adrift from her space shuttle. But whereas before it had felt like she’d been sucked into a black hole and her future had looked uncertain and scary, she now felt like gravity had shifted and she was slowly drifting back down to Earth, ready for the start of phase two of her life.
The hard part lay ahead, but this holiday had given her the confidence she needed to change her path. She had tried out a new version of herself. Tested the water. And seen a snapshot of what, and who, Lilith Monroe could be. A woman who was funny, unafraid, uninhibited and entertaining. She was no longer invisible. And she’d liked it.
Thursday had started with a coach trip to the opposite side of the island, where they’d boarded the Capitan Gringo yacht, along with a load of other tourists, and had headed for an uninhabited island.
They’d sat on the deck, admiring the views and exchanging enigmatic smiles, before the yacht anchored next to a hidden cave, were they’d all been kitted out with snorkelling gear, ready to explore.
The idea of venturing into a darkened cave would have had the old Lilith running for the hills. But new and improved Lily didn’t want to regret missing out on an adventure, so she’d overridden her nerves and lowered herself from the boat.
And she was glad she had. Walking in flippers might be cumbersome and challenging, but swimming in them was a revelation. Once she was submerged, she felt like an elegant dolphin cutting through the water with ease and poise. The sea was pale turquoise, and so transparent that she almost didn’t need to plunge her face into the water to see the luminous swarms of fish below.
Snorkelling was fun. Her bravery grew, and she followed Will over to the cave entrance. But her courage was tested to its limits when she realised she had to dive below the water and swim through a gap in the rockface to enter the cave. But she steeled herself, took a deep breath and ducked under the water. Unlike Will, who negotiated the narrow entrance with ease, she had to cling hold of the rocks and drag herself through the gap to the empty cave. She emerged through to the other side slightly panicked. But she’d made it, and it felt good to have overcome another fear.
An hour later, they’d reboarded the yacht and were taken to a secluded island for a BBQ on the beach. Here they ate kebabs and drank papaya juice, and then followed this up with a nap. Lily drifted off to sleep in quiet contentment, listening to the lap of waves, with Will stroking her arm.
They’d arrived back at the hotel around seven p.m. and met up for dinner a couple of hours later. The gap had allowed her time to formalise her thoughts. Things were heading in a certain direction, and she needed to be sure she was okay with that before venturing out for the evening.
Decision made, she’d applied make-up, doused herself in perfume, and selected the floaty silver dress she’d been building up the courage to wear.
Will’s expression on seeing her had been worth the effort. His grey-blue eyes had widened as she’d descended the steps, his gaze skimming over her bare shoulders and hovering where the dress dipped below her cleavage.
It had felt provocative to wear such a dress, and slightly scandalous. Definitely something old Lilith would never have done… which was all the motivation she’d needed to sashay up to him and kiss him, allowing her lips to trail across his cheek and savour the sensation of his shiver. It was heady stuff. Intoxicating. She could get used to feeling this empowered.
Dinner had been a flirtatious affair. They’d dined in a secluded tent, with billowing white fabric that shielded them from the sea breeze. They’d eaten mashed pumpkin and fried plantain and drank enough alcohol to soften the edges without tipping them into inebriation.
The evening had ended with a moonlit walk along the beach, an extended kiss, and Lily boldly inviting Will to join her in her room.
Will had smiled, gently touched her cheek, and asked if she was sure. Her firm reply of, ‘Very sure,’ had evoked another smile. He’d taken her han
d and they’d silently walked back to the hotel, exchanging seductive glances along the way.
They’d stopped to kiss a couple of times, building the tension, which soon over-spilled into a frantic groping session in the lift as it travelled up to the first floor.
They’d stumbled from the lift still kissing, bouncing along the wall, until they’d reached her door. More fumbling followed, as she’d struggled to unlock the damn thing without breaking their kiss, and they’d eventually fallen into the room.
At this point, things had slowed, almost as if they’d both registered the choice ahead. A rushed moment of lust, or an extended night of enjoyment? Tempting as the first option had been, she was glad they’d opted for the second. It allowed her time to memorise every touch, every lingering kiss and every sensation her body had experienced. Despite her only wearing two items of clothing, Will still managed to take his time removing her dress and undies, seemingly wanting to enjoy each moment as much as she did.
By the time they were lying on the bed naked, they were both shaking and she’d lost any semblance of shyness or uncertainty. What followed was beautiful, sensual, and extremely intense. As though it wasn’t merely sex. It was something a lot more.
For her, it was a release of years of frustration and heartbreak. A re-entering of the adult world, where she could pursue her own dreams and ambitions and desires. It was about finally being able to let go and just ‘feel’. She was allowed to be selfish, to take something she wanted, with no guilt, and no one judging her.
What it meant for Will, she didn’t know. And she wasn’t about to ask.
Sitting here now on the beach as dawn broke on Friday, the last day of their holiday, he looked almost wistful. But he hadn’t looked that way last night.
There were times when he’d looked as absorbed as she was, his face displaying pleasure and a wanting so strong she felt consumed by him.
But there was a moment when his face had clouded over and he’d buried his face in her neck, as if hiding whatever emotion had surfaced. Her skin felt damp and Lily wondered if he’d been crying.
Someone Like You: Escape with this perfect uplifting romance Page 9