by Colet Abedi
Clayton’s friends chuckle as they remember what they think is a funny anecdote. But I can’t keep the consternation off my face. He seduced a married woman. They call him wolf. And his friends think this tale is amusing? What is going on here?
“The wolf?” I say and look at Clayton.
“A name I was called in my younger years.”
“Hungry like the wolf … ” John belts out the old Duran Duran song. Elizabeth nails him in the ribs with her elbow and gives him a dirty look. He still doesn’t seem to get it. And now, of course, sour Jane looks positively radiant.
Uh oh. Does this make me the next victim of the hungry wolf?
“I was nineteen,” Clayton explains, undaunted.
“In case you haven’t noticed, dear Sophie, Clayton has unusually bright blue eyes, just like a wolf. They always lured them in,” Eduard says. By “them” I know he means women.
I mean, let’s be real, I was lured in by them, too!
“Well, finish the story,” Orie tells Eduard as he motions for him to go on.
“How do you mean?”
“There’s got to be more to this then him being called wolf and sleeping with a married woman.”
I almost spit out my drink. Leave it to Orie.
“I think we’ve heard enough,” Clayton warns his friend. Oh no, we haven’t, I think, and say, “No. I’d like to hear the rest of it too.” I wear a fake smile. “He stopped at the best part.”
I pick up my drink and down its contents. I look around the table and smile sweetly at Jane. This evening is definitely getting interesting.
I lift my hand and motion for the waiter, who rushes over to me.
“I’d like a pomegranate martini. With Grey Goose please.” I look around at the table. “Anyone else want anything?”
“That sounds delicious; I’ll have one as well,” Erik says loyally.
Orie raises a hand with a smile. “I’m in.”
I don’t dare look over at Clayton. I know he’s probably annoyed I’m now having hard alcohol when he wanted me to stick to champagne or wine to prevent me from getting drunk. But you know what? I don’t care. His nickname is the wolf! Hearing that his predatory skills with women are akin to a deadly hunter in the animal kingdom is pretty full on. And scary.
John, who is beyond drunk, continues to sing “Hungry Like the Wolf.” Elizabeth looks at me in horror and mouths, “I’m so sorry!”
It’s like a bad romantic comedy. Except it’s my real life.
Elizabeth tries to save face. “I think we all know how Clayton ended up being thrown out of the hotel naked.”
“Well yes, we do. But they don’t. And it’s the best story. They haven’t heard the funny part yet,” Jane says. Now she’s the life of the party.
Eduard looks at Clayton, who I’ve avoided looking at, and has the sense to seem a bit scared.
“I think that’s enough rehashing of the past for tonight,” Clayton warns him again.
But John shouts out, “Pemberton found the wolf in bed with his wife and Clayton had the nerve to tell the old man that she seduced him and that he didn’t know she was married!” John laughs. “Security came in and escorted him out because management were scared of Pemberton. He demanded they march the wolf buck-naked through the lobby and out the front door! He didn’t even let the poor guy put a cravat on. Lucky for him, our car pulled up at the same time!”
And how is this even remotely funny? Honestly? But the rest of them seem to think it is the most hilarious thing they’ve ever heard.
“I didn’t know she was married,” Clayton says in a tone that would make any man cringe. Unfortunately for John, he’s too sloshed to hear the ominous threat.
“We never believed that, you know. You kept saying it, but of course you knew!” John continues in a drunken stupor.
Erik reaches out and pats him on the back, hoping to jolt him back to earth. “You’re going to be in real deep shit if you continue on, my friend.” Erik’s got a smile on his face but we all know how true his words are.
“Bah! Clayton knows we’re taking the piss out of him,” John waves Erik off. “There’s more!”
9
“I think we’ve all heard enough, Johnny,” Clayton tells his friend as he stands up and extends his hand for mine. “May I have this dance?”
I smile awkwardly because I know everyone is staring at us. And I don’t want to seem annoyed, which I kind of am, even though I have absolutely no right to be. But I’m also dumbfounded because his friends are so strange. Why do they think this is an appropriate story to tell in front of me? And every detail of the story? Did I need to know all this?
“Of course,” I say and stand up, refuse his hand out of principle, and make the excuse of picking my dress up off the sand. Clayton waits patiently while I step away from the table, then takes my hand firmly in his. He won’t let me get away. We walk toward the music.
The band is playing a soft reggae tune as we join the other couples on the dance floor.
“I was just a child, Sophie,” he says as he pulls me into his arms. I keep my eyes on his neck as I put my hands on his chest. The familiar feeling washes over me as I savor his touch. The pulsating energy that seems to course through my veins makes me forget time and place. I can’t even keep it together for a second, even though I just heard a wicked story about his womanizing ways. What’s wrong with me?
“Look at me,” he says.
“I’d rather not right now,” I tell him honestly. “I’m trying to digest all that.”
“Are you upset with me?” He sounds incredulous. I lift my gaze to his.
“The wolf?” I’m pretty sure my face looks appalled and I don’t try to keep the disdain out of my voice. “Really?”
At least he has the decency to look a bit embarrassed.
“I’m not going to apologize for my youth.” He stares at me and I have to agree with John and the however many other women he’s been with, that yes, he does have the most burning gaze I’ve ever encountered.
“That was a different time in my life. And I’m sorry if it upset you … ”
“It doesn’t upset me, Clayton. It scares me,” I abruptly answer.
“Get over it. It is an old story and you’ll probably hear more of them in the future. Everything that happened then made me who I am today.”
“Did you know she was married?”
“No.”
I stare into his eyes, hoping I’ll see the truth. And it’s there. He lets me inside for a second and I nod in acceptance. I feel the tension leave his body and he smiles at me in relief. He leans down and puts his forehead against mine.
“You know what they say about wolves?”
“What’s that?” I ask softly.
“That they mate for life.” I lose my stomach, a combination of his words and his embrace.
“Do they?” I say calmly.
“Yes, they do.” He kisses me softly then pulls away.
“We’re leaving now.” Yet again, it’s not a question; it’s a command. His eyes are blazing with passion and I’m satisfied to see that he looks as unnerved by our intense chemistry as I am.
“I want to be alone with you,” he continues. I wish I had a fan to cool myself down. He takes my hand and gives me a look so incredibly intense that it makes my body burn.
“Are you ready?” he asks.
Am I ready? We both know what is going to happen. There’s no hiding from it. I look up at him. The stars in the sky frame his head and shoulders like a painting. I know this night is going to change my life forever. In addition to the obvious, something more profound is going to happen. I’ve read so many books about destiny and defining moments that I know I’m living that experience now. I push any thoughts that could ruin this moment out of my mind and I just be, as Erik advised me.
“I am ready,” I finally answer.
He gives me a sexy smile and leads me back to the table, where we quickly say our goodbyes to everyone. Clayton doesn�
��t let me linger around Erik or Orie. I wave at my friends and follow him. When he continues right past the deck that leads to our villas, I give him a puzzled look.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
I feel an anxious twinge, but I stay quiet and follow him. You could literally cut the air with a knife, our sexual tension is so palpable. I want him to kiss me again, make me feel alive and take away my fears of what lies ahead. Clayton takes a turn down a tree-lined path toward the main docks.
In the blink of an eye I’m picked up, pushed against a palm tree, and Clayton’s mouth is on mine. He takes savage control, and I’m more than happy to let him. I move my hands through his hair and pull him in. His tongue curls against mine and I gladly take it, sucking in all that he will give me. I can feel him hard against my body and I love that he wants me as badly as I want him. I moan when his mouth leaves mine to trace kisses down my neck.
“You are a witch,” he whispers.
“So you keep telling me,” I pant.
Clayton abruptly pulls away from me and pulls me further along the path. “I’m not going to let my desire get in the way of what I’ve planned.”
Shit. Why not? As we walk, he says, “I’m going to ask you an uncomfortable question.”
I’m instantly on edge. “Okay.”
“Are you on the pill?”
My face heats up instantly.
“Some women do take birth control even though they’re not sexually active,” he explains, as if I’m five years old and don’t know how the reproductive process works. Could this be any more mortifying?
“Thank you, Clayton, but you can assume that I know about the birds and the bees.”
“That’s not what I asked.” He’s says with a smile. I know he knows I’m humiliated by this conversation, but that I also understand why this is a perfectly logical question for him to ask.
“I’m on the pill.” Lord, is this uncomfortable.
“How long?”
Really? What is he, my gynecologist?
“Are you serious?”
“I want to know.” I wonder why he cares.
“About three months,” I say, annoyed. “And do you want to know why?” I ask the last part sarcastically.
“Yes, that was my next question.”
Is he for real?
“I was stressed out and my body was out of whack!” I practically yell at him. “Are you happy now?”
He stares at me for a long minute.
“What?“ I ask.
“I’m not happy your body showed a reaction to stress.”
Lord almighty. I’m so annoyed, I blurt out, “What about you?”
“Men don’t take birth control, Sophie.”
I can hear the laughter in his voice. He takes a step toward me, slowly, watching me as he speaks. He knows the effect he has. He knows how he makes me feel. He knows the power he wields, the wolf that he is.
“But if you’re asking me if I used protection in the past, then yes.”
He’s staring down at me, his hand brushing my face as he speaks.
“Always.”
His fingers move to my lips, touching them softly.
“I’ve never had sex without a condom.” Those intense eyes of his
seem to bore into me, daring me to move or speak. “I’ve never felt a woman without protection.”
I need water.
“And in case you’re wondering if I’m healthy, yes, I am.”
Actually, I want to know if it’s possible for the sand to open up and suck me through it so I can be done with this mortifying conversation and never have to look at you in the face again.
“Don’t be shy. This is a very adult conversation to have. It’s only natural, considering what’s going to happen between us.”
My pulse races. I try to get a grip and take deep breaths. He reaches out, takes my hand again, and caresses my palm softly.
“Let’s go, baby.”
Baby.
I love the way he says baby. It’s so sexy. I choose not to say another word as we continue on. He leads me to the main dock of the hotel, where our seaplane landed.
“What are we doing here?” I ask.
“You’ll see.”
We reach the end of the dock, where a small motorboat, captained by Bikram, waits. There’s champagne on ice with two glasses on a small table and a bowl of fresh strawberries and cream next to a cushioned seat. It is so romantic.
“Welcome, Miss Walker. Mr. Sinclair.”
“Hi, Bikram,” I say warmly as he helps me into the boat. Clayton follows and picks up a life jacket to put on me.
“Seriously?” I don’t want to ruin the effect of the dress, given the romantic boat ride we are about to take.
“Yes. I don’t want to worry,” he says as he buckles me up. I can’t believe that it was only a day ago that he did this before. The day I met him. And now look where I am? Where I’m going. What’s about to happen. It feels like a million years ago. It’s unreal that so much can happen in such a short time.
I try to stay cool.
Clayton, who, of course, is not wearing a life jacket, pours us each a glass of champagne, hands me a strawberry with cream, and lifts his glass for a toast.
“It is only the beginning.”
We clink glasses and take a sip of our drinks as Bikram slowly pulls the boat away. Clayton moves close to me on the small seat and pulls me in to his body, the life jacket making it kind of awkward, but it’s still nice to cuddle up to him. I lean back and look up at the moon and stars and I think I must be the happiest woman alive. The night is magical. I couldn’t ask for anything more.
“Are we doing a cruise around the island?” I ask him as Bikram speeds up and the motor roars.
“No.”
“Then what?”
“Patience,” Clayton tells me with a smile. He sets his champagne glass down on the table. “I think you’ll like what I have in store for you.” He leans down and kisses me chastely on the lips. I’m disappointed when he pulls away. His eyes darken with desire and he leans in again, kissing me more seductively, then licking my lip.
“You make me forget myself,” he whispers. My smile is immediate. “You think it’s amusing?”
“No. I just thought I was the only one who lost control.”
He holds my face with one hand. “Rest assured, you’re not alone in this predicament.”
I lean into his touch then turn my face and kiss his palm. I know he likes this show of affection because he pulls me tight against his body.
“How far are we, Bikram?” he shouts out.
“Not long, Mr. Sinclair. Ten minutes.”
Clayton takes a long sip of his drink. I’m so happy that he’s as affected as I am. I lean back into his arms and enjoy the rest of the ride. I want to memorize everything about this moment so I can replay it over and over in my head for the rest of my life.
When the boat nears a dock lit by tiki torches, I see that our destination is a small island that appears to be deserted. Bikram maneuvers the boat up to the dock.
“Thank you, Bikram,” Clayton says. “Is everything I requested inside?”
“Yes, sir.” Bikram holds a bag in his hands. “I will need your shoes. I will give them back to you when I pick you up.”
“Why?” I ask curiously as I slip out of my heels, not that I have any problem with it. I watch as Clayton does the same.
“No shoes on the island. It is about complete relaxation,” Bikram explains. It sounds positively decadent and I like it already.
Clayton helps me out of the boat, takes off my life jacket, and hands it to Bikram, along with a tip.
“We’ll see you in two days,” Clayton says.
Bikram smiles in appreciation then nods to both of us.
“Yes, sir. Enjoy yourselves.”
Wait. What?
Two days!
Clayton and I watch Bikram speed away. There is no turning back now. I c
an’t very well swim back to the hotel. I don’t even know where we are. Not completely true. We are somewhere in the Indian Ocean. My iPhone might be able to find my location. When Bikram is a speck in the distance, I’m acutely aware of how incredibly silent the night is. How close the stars are. We are literally in the middle of nowhere.
“Is there anyone else on this island?” I ask Clayton, even though I already know the answer.
“No.”
Oh. My heart starts pitter-pattering again.
He looks down at me. “I let Erik and Orie know, don’t worry.”
“Clothes?”
“Taken care of. Along with your personal toiletries.”
Who went in my room and gathered my stuff? I don’t ask him. I look around in wonder. He rented an island for me.
“Let me show you where we are staying.”
I’m only capable of nodding and plastering a smile on my face. I don’t miss the emphasis he puts on the “we.” A wave of nausea sweeps over me and I try to talk myself out of throwing up. When I was growing up my parents always told me never to talk to strangers, and here I am, about to sleep with one. The irony is not lost on me.
Grow up, Sophie! Just grow up, my mind yells at me. Let’s just look at the facts; you’re a twenty-three-year-old virgin, the most gorgeous man in the world has generously offered to rid you of this dilemma, and he rented an island to do it on! An island!
Who rents an island?
He knew he was going to get lucky tonight. He didn’t have to do all this! But Lord, it is incredibly chivalrous and caring of him, or a bit insane … I’m not quite sure which. I follow him down the long dock and onto a tiki-torch-lit sandy path. I’m guessing he’s been here before because he knows exactly where he’s going. We’re both quiet, just holding hands and enjoying the night.
And then we come upon it. Where we are sleeping.
And I lose the ability to breathe.
It is a large, straw-roofed villa that is kind of like where you’d imagine Robinson Crusoe lived. Twinkly lights illuminate the walkway up to the residence and large candles frame the entrance. Clayton motions for me to go first and I slowly make my way up the stairs. I open the doors and what I see takes my breath away.
There are candles everywhere. A plush, L-shaped white couch curls around a long coffee table, looking out on the ocean. All the sliding doors are open, letting in a gentle breeze. To the right is the kitchen, which has every appliance you could desire and which, I imagine, is fully stocked, because Clayton doesn’t seem to forget any detail. The deck has a long table and chairs to eat and enjoy the spectacular view, and wraps around the entire villa. Stairs lead down to the sandy beach. I can’t wait to explore it in the daylight. To the left is the master bedroom, and I take a moment before I step inside. White, long-stemmed roses and huge white candles are everywhere. There is a retractable roof, which is currently open. The view from the bed is unreal; it’s almost like you can reach out and touch the stars.