Kindred Hearts

by Grace Lowrie

  Chapter Forty-one

  I woke in paradise, barely able to believe what had happened. My greatest fear had been realised – my deception and betrayal was discovered and yet, incredibly, in the heat of the moment, rather than confronting me, the twins seemed to … accept it. I’d never felt so cherished, so adored. But did they really mean it? Or was it just the effects of all the alcohol we’d consumed? Celeste was still sleeping wrapped up in the sheet beside me and I assumed Sebastian was still in his room next door. The sun was streaming in through the open window, the sky was a clear cerulean blue, and I could smell salt in the air from the waves below mingling with the musky scent of our bodies. This was the cold, hard, light of day, where things could change dramatically and yet it felt strangely serene, sensual and sound.

  Celeste stirred and I held my breath. She opened her eyes, smiled, and sighed contentedly.

  ‘Good morning, ma chérie,’ she said, kissing me on the mouth.

  ‘Morning,’ I breathed, almost giddy with relief.

  We lay dozing for a while until there was a soft knock at the door. Sebastian entered our bedroom with cheerful morning greetings and two large glasses of cold, freshly squeezed orange juice.

  ‘Thank you, darling,’ Celeste yawned as she accepted a glass of juice from Sebastian and then proceeded to drain it thirstily. I smiled at him shyly and he returned my smile, tenderly brushing a strand of stray hair from my face, his eyes sparkling like the sea.

  We just smiled at each other for a while, the three of us, as the sea whispered against the rocks and the birds sang on the terrace. How could everything feel so good? So normal? So right? There was no awkwardness, no resentment. I probably should have apologised for something but it didn’t see appropriate. I was the luckiest person alive.

  ‘What should we do today?’ Celeste asked breaking the silence.

  ‘Your idea of a beach picnic sounded good to me,’ I offered.

  ‘Yeah, me too,’ Sebastian agreed.

  ‘Oooh, goody!’ Celeste said with a grin. ‘Have we got enough supplies?’

  ‘Yeah, there’s loads of stuff in the kitchen and the larder is jam-packed.’ Sebastian replied. He went on to list some of the foods available to us and Celeste and I vetoed some and enthused over others. Sebastian gently mocked Celeste for wanting to take several bottles of wine, despite her current hangover. But she gave as good as she got by insinuating he was a lightweight and incapable of keeping up with her. Soon we were all laughing – not a care in the world.

  Sometime later I followed Celeste into the spacious shower while Sebastian disappeared into his own room next door, but he kissed me softly on the mouth before he went. They did that now, the twins, they kissed me freely and frequently whenever the mood took them and it was wonderful. As Celeste and I quietly washed each other under the cascade of hot water I realised a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders – there were no secrets now – we all loved each other – a fact, pure and simple. Maybe the twins had had their suspicions all along – they knew each other so well and knew me so well. Was this how it was always meant to be? None of us seemed to want to mention it, or discuss it – perhaps we didn’t want to break the spell.

  By the time Celeste and I emerged from the bedroom in bikinis and sarongs, Sebastian was making sandwiches in the kitchen with lively salsa music blaring out of the radio. He was clean-shaven and dressed in knee-length khaki shorts and a T-shirt, with a pair of dark sunglasses hooked into the front. Celeste and I danced into the room giggling and Sebastian took us each by the hand, expertly twirling us across the room as we all swayed our hips in time to the beat. We continued to move to the music and laugh as we finished packing the picnic and gathered towels, books, and sun cream.

  By standing on the roof terrace we could see that the resort’s bay was scattered with holidaymakers – some lounging on the shore, some swimming or windsurfing, the brightly coloured sails decorating the water. But our beach, directly beneath our villa, was deserted. The bay was bordered by rocky cliffs and dense jungle undergrowth and was presumably not as accessible as most of the other numerous beaches on the island. We stowed our cool box in the shade of a palm tree and spread our towels out in a row on the soft blush-coloured sand. It was already hot beneath my feet. Sebastian stripped off his T-shirt and sat cross-legged as I spread sunscreen across his broad, muscular back and shoulders, exploring every well-defined contour firmly with my fingers, while Celeste did the exact same for me. Sebastian stared contentedly out at the horizon, his eyes hidden behind his shades, lost in thought. Once I’d finished I scooted around on my towel and lovingly applied protection to Celeste’s back, gently massaging her soft skin in small circles while she sighed appreciatively.

  We idled away the day, just lying quietly dozing, savouring the soothing sound of the waves and the sun on our skin. Sleety, grey London was only a vague and distant memory. We grazed on sandwiches, salad, and fresh fruit, all washed down with chilled white wine that we shared from the bottle. Occasionally we paddled in the sea or lay in the shallows in a leisurely fashion, the clear salt water, cool and refreshing. At one point Sebastian swam off into deeper waters, executing a smooth, steady front-crawl up and down parallel to the shore. But it made Celeste painfully anxious. She went eerily quiet, watching him intently, her body rigid with fear as she clutched my hand tight, until Sebastian returned safely to the beach. He realised his mistake the instant he saw her, dropping to his knees in the sand and wrapping her up in an apologetic and somewhat soggy hug.

  ‘Ignore me, I’m just being neurotic,’ she said, laughing to hide her relief.

  ‘I’m so sorry, Celly, I didn’t think,’ he said, his voice low. ‘I’ll swim in the pool; I don’t have to swim in the sea at all.’

  ‘Just forget it,’ she said. ‘Here, let me put more sun cream on your back, you’ve washed it all off.’

  As Celeste continued to bask in the sun and Sebastian floated in the shallows, I moved into the dappled shade of a palm tree and started to read a book. But two pages in I realised I wasn’t really absorbing the words. My thoughts were inevitably drawn back to the night before as my mind tried to make sense of my feelings. There was no denying it was the best night of my life. It was a great testament to the twins’ love and respect for each other that they were willing to share me. And it felt so right. But was it? Obviously it wasn’t a ‘normal’ situation but did that matter? Here, in this blissful, idyllic piece of heaven I couldn’t see any obvious downsides – it was all too fantastic. From my vantage point in the shade I let my eyes travel over Celeste’s blonde curls and sensual curves to where Sebastian was striding out of the water towards us, moisture dripping from his dark hair and sparkling on his skin. Could they really share me? I hoped so, because the truth was I could no longer choose one over the other – they were two sides of the same coin and I couldn’t imagine life without them.

  Sebastian playfully flicked water at Celeste as he passed, causing her to sit up and squeal. She noticed I was no longer beside her and looked around at me.

  ‘Hey what’re you doing back there?’

  ‘Just enjoying a bit of shade.’

  ‘Good idea.’ She smiled as she got to her feet and started gathering her things.

  Sebastian was already dragging his towel across the sand to where I was sitting and dropped down beside me, kissing me on the mouth, his lips salty, his hair dripping into my cleavage.

  ‘We’ve probably had enough sun for one day …’ Celeste murmured as she settled on the other side of me. Blonde curls had escaped from her ponytail and prettily framed her face.

  ‘You already look wonderfully sun-kissed though,’ I observed.

  ‘Thank you, darling, so do you.’ Celeste reached over and delicately slipped my bikini strap down from my shoulder to reveal a paler strip of skin beneath. ‘See – you already have tan lines.’ She smiled and leaned in, kissing the narrow patch of pale skin just above my breast with her soft pink mouth. At the same time
Sebastian hooked a finger under my other strap.

  ‘Mm, so she does,’ he murmured, mirroring Celeste’s kiss with his own.

  ‘Hey, cut it out,’ I laughed, embarrassed by their combined attention.

  ‘Sorry,’ Sebastian grinned unapologetically. ‘It’s probably time to head back to the house anyway.’

  Celeste pouted at us. I couldn’t help smiling at the way she wore her heart on her sleeve and I kissed her pouting lips so that they softened into a smile.

  ‘We have all week …’ I whispered.

  ‘We do, don’t we …’ said Celeste, while Sebastian and I grinned back, all of us delighted at the prospect.

  ‘What do you want to eat this evening?’ Sebastian asked as we gathered our things, shaking the sand out of them.

  ‘Ooh, can we go check out the restaurant? I heard the food is really good,’ Celeste said.

  ‘Yeah, if you want,’ Sebastian shrugged. ‘I don’t mind cooking?’

  ‘Let’s eat out,’ I agreed.

  Back at the villa the sun bathed us in a soft pink glow as it set across the water. Sebastian disappeared into his room and I showered with Celeste, tracing her new faint tan lines with my fingertips and gently washing stray sand from her skin while she reciprocated. Clouds of sweetly scented steam mingled with our breath.

  Afterwards we affectionately dried and dressed each other and Celeste chose a strappy dress for me to wear. While she finished getting ready I went next door and helped Sebastian pick out a shirt for the evening. The sight and smell of him as he slowly dressed was almost as thrilling as a striptease.

  As we entered the restaurant a group of young men seated near the door, perhaps a stag party, brazenly followed Celeste and I with their eyes, and Sebastian took my hand. It was a blatantly possessive move on Sebastian’s part, but it felt so good, so natural, that I couldn’t help smiling. It was only as we took our seats and I caught Celeste’s eye, that it dawned on me that she and I could still not be open about or relationship – especially not in this country, where homosexuality was illegal. I resolved there and then, to make sure Celeste never felt left out.

  The restaurant was stylish and popular, with one whole side open to a generous stone terrace beneath the stars. It was romantically lit with colourful lanterns and candles on every table, the crisp white table linen reflecting islands of light. The three of us were quiet to start with, perhaps lost in our own thoughts and I felt strangely shy, almost self-conscious. Maybe because this was the first time we’d been out in public together, the three of us, our feelings no longer a secret from each other.

  The food was first-class – delicately grilled fresh fish which fell off the bone and recently harvested vegetables infused with butter and mouth-watering herbs and spices. We moaned in appreciation as we worked our way through the first two courses, tasting each other’s dishes and trying (and failing) to identify some of the exotic ingredients. While we were waiting for dessert Sebastian instinctively reached out and brushed the hair away from my face, hooking it back behind my ear. It was a simple gesture, unconscious and intimate – romantic for a guy who ‘didn’t do romance’ and it sent a warm tingle down my spine.

  ‘Tasha, your nails need doing even more than mine do!’ Celeste exclaimed, taking my hand and splaying my fingers out on the table for all to see.

  ‘Maybe we could book into the spa tomorrow?’ I suggested. ‘Get manicures, massages, facials …’

  ‘Yes,’ Celeste drew the word out hesitantly. ‘Or I could do them? I’m quite good at that stuff,’ she offered.

  ‘OK,’ I said surprised. ‘But you love a good spa – it’s not like you to miss an opportunity to be pampered?’

  Celeste took another sip of her wine. ‘I know, I just …’ She shrugged defensively. ‘I just thought it would be more private that’s all.’

  ‘Sounds like a great idea,’ Sebastian murmured. ‘I give great massages.’

  I blinked at Sebastian in surprise, amused that he wanted to be involved. ‘OK,’ I laughed. ‘Can we paint your nails too? What do you think, Celeste? What colour would suit him best?’

  ‘Oh, definitely. Pink, I think!’ she giggled. Sebastian sighed in despair but couldn’t keep the smile from his eyes.

  After dinner we headed down to the bar on the beach where tourists, honeymooners, and locals were partying the night away to a live salsa band. The people were friendly, the atmosphere celebratory and Sebastian was the perfect dance partner – a natural – instinctively moving with rhythm and skill as he spun me before him, pulled me in close and rocked our bodies in time to the beat. And yet Celeste seemed subdued, favouring cocktails at the bar over dancing. By the time we staggered back to our villa she was drunk and affectionate and craving reassurance.

  ‘You do love me don’t you, darling?’

  ‘You know I do, Celeste,’ I said.

  ‘But it’s crazy that I can’t kiss you when someone might see – I mean, I’m not even gay!’ she huffed.

  ‘I know, sweetheart – it doesn’t seem fair.’

  She had flopped down on to our bed and I was attempting to undress her while Sebastian made coffee in the kitchen. ‘It’s not fair!’ Celeste agreed, throwing her arms up above her head while I peeled off her dress.

  ‘But at least we can do whatever we like in here,’ I murmured suggestively in an attempt to cheer her up.

  ‘Yes,’ she sighed, smiled and yawned.

  ‘Would you like me to brush your hair?’

  ‘Just kiss me darling, please.’

  I stretched out on the bed beside her fully clothed and she snuggled up against me naked, as I kissed her softly on the mouth. She tasted of strawberry daiquiris, reminding me of the very first time she had kissed me on the dance floor at her housewarming party. I kissed her cheek, her forehead, her temple, her earlobe, and she smiled serenely, her eyes closed and her breathing relaxed. I gently combed the tangles from her hair with my fingers as I admired her profile – the slight upward turn at the tip of her neat nose – the way her long lashes fanned out across her flawless skin – the sensuous curve of her full lips, slightly parted, her pearly teeth just visible. As soon as Celeste was asleep I gently pulled the sheet up over her, switched off the bedside lamp, and tiptoed from the room.

  Sebastian silently took my hand as we settled on a big comfy sofa on the main terrace with our coffee. The sexy rhythm of the salsa band could still be heard in the distance, carried on the breeze above the sound of the waves below. I could tell Sebastian was in one of his quiet moods. Once we had finished our drinks he lay back, drawing me with him, and I cuddled into his side, my head on his chest as he held me. We lay in silence for some time, just savouring the warm night air and the stars above. Sebastian absent-mindedly stroked my hair with one hand and I revelled in his clean, masculine scent. Once again I found myself wondering about his mysterious moods – there was a melancholic weight to his silence, despite his outward contentment. Was it some form of illness? Did anyone else know about it? Did Celeste? I yearned to ask him about it, but I knew in my gut, that now wasn’t the time – I couldn’t intrude on his silence. Even so, his sadness worried me and I wanted to divert him from his thoughts.

  After more than an hour had passed I stretched and tipped my head back to face Sebastian. He looked down at me in the muted light, his eyes dark, his expression faraway and unreadable. Slowly, I reached up and kissed him. He returned it, chastely at first, distractedly, hesitantly even, but as I deepened the kiss he responded, his lips firm and urgent, his tongue relishing me, devouring me, sending pleasure coursing through my bloodstream. I threw my leg over him and shifted so that I was straddling his lap, fearlessly pulling my dress off over my head so that my naked breasts were bared to the night sky. I wasn’t wearing any knickers. He hummed deep down in his chest and brusquely sucked each of my nipples in turn, making me cry out with exquisite pain. I hastily dragged Sebastian’s T-shirt over his head, desperate to feel his skin against mine. He cupped my breasts
firmly, squeezing and grazing them with his thumbs, making me squirm against his growing erection. As he returned his mouth to mine he lifted his hips and yanked his shorts and pants down; freeing his hard, silky smooth length.

  His glorious penis stood proud; the sexiest, most masculine display I’d ever seen, making my inner muscles clench tightly in response. I swept my hair back over one shoulder, took him firmly in my hand and slowly circled the moist tip with my thumb as he watched with rapt attention. Without breaking eye contact I wet my lips, lowered my head, and licked the engorged head, tasting him as his breath hitched. He was velvety smooth, salty and delicious. I slowly spread out my tongue, drawing him firmly in to my mouth, my teeth carefully wrapped behind my lips, until there was no more space. Then I sucked hard, causing Sebastian to groan deep in his chest, his eyes closing. As I started to move my head slowly but firmly up and down on his considerable length, steadily increasing the tempo, swirling my tongue around him, his breathing became ragged.

  Abruptly Sebastian palmed my sex with one hand, his fingers roughly pushing inside me while he pressed the heel of his hand to my damp clitoris. I moaned in ecstasy as arousal surged through me and threw my head back; arching my spine and thrusting my breasts into his face.

  ‘I want to come inside you,’ he muttered, breaking his silence, his eyes blazing with heat.

  Impatiently I pushed his hand away and sank onto his lap; his penis impaling me, stretching me, filling me to the hilt. We groaned in unison at the delicious sensation. Sebastian nuzzled my chest, his stubble teasing my nerve endings as he grabbed my hips and started to lift me up and down on his length; over and over; his hips flexing with each thrust as he plunged slickly, deeply inside of me, coaxing me faster, harder, deeper until I was balanced on the edge, my mind lost, clinging to him for dear life. And then he growled my name and this one word was my release; I let go, exploding around him with a garbled shout, my body submitting to his as he came forcefully within me and I collapsed against him in a sated swoon.