by Mandy Lee
‘It’s stunning.’
‘You think?’
‘I do.’
He kisses my cheek and we stand in silence for a little longer while I enjoy the view. Held tight in his arms, I’m loving it.
And more than that … I’ve stopped shaking.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Light dances across the scene, fairy-like, hopping from lily pad to lily pad, and in amongst the swirling mass of water, a clutch of delicate white lilies float just beyond the reach of the shadows. I stand in awe, transfixed by the colours, examining each and every brush stroke. I can barely believe what I’m looking at. If I’m not very much mistaken, this is a Monet.
‘Do you like it?’
I turn to face Bill. Looking slightly ridiculous, he’s sporting another pair of Bermuda shorts, matched with a white shirt, open at the collar. But it’s the socks and sandals that really do it. Biting back the urge to giggle for the umpteenth time, I decide to press on with a conversation.
‘It’s amazing.’ I aim my wine glass at the picture. ‘It’s real, isn’t it?’
‘No.’ He smiles knowingly. ‘I don’t believe in keeping beautiful works of art to myself. The real one’s in Belgium. This is a very good fake. I’m a sucker for the Impressionists. How about you?’
‘I’ve got broad tastes.’
‘The best kind to have.’ He takes a sip of wine. ‘Dan tells me you’re a gifted artist.’
‘Oh, I don’t know about that.’
‘He’s pretty insistent. Landscapes?’
‘Mostly.’ I’ll leave it at that. I’m not about to share the fact that I’m currently working on a strange nude triptych, desperately trying to figure out my new-found obsession with kink. ‘I’m influenced by the Impressionists.’
‘Then I must see your work.’ He slips into silence for a few seconds, his eyes shifting with thought. ‘He’s a good man,’ he says at last, gesturing towards the veranda where Dan’s reclined on a wicker chair, watching the sunset.
I sense a rush of warmth in my chest.
‘Yes, he is.’
‘The pair of you seemed on edge this morning. Maybe you’d had a row?’
‘A misunderstanding,’ I half whisper. ‘It’s sorted now.’
‘Good.’ His lips pucker into a satisfied smile. ‘You know he had a rough start in life.’ It’s a statement, not a question. I nod. ‘And then there was the blow of John and Lydia.’ He checks my reaction. I nod again. ‘It hit him hard. All of it. But every single time, he picked himself up and got on with it. Just look at what he’s done with Fosters.’ He watches me. ‘And now he’s got you. He’ll make you very happy, Maya. I know that.’
‘He already does.’
He holds up his glass, raising an index finger at the picture. ‘You scrape back the layers on this thing and pretty soon you’ll find out it’s not authentic.’ And then he turns slightly, pointing at Dan. ‘The real thing. Whatever misunderstandings you have, promise me now you’ll sort them out.’
I give him a smile, wondering why it is that everyone in Dan’s life feels the need to argue his corner. It’s as if they all know it can’t be an easy ride. But they all seem to be utterly determined for us to see it through.
‘Good. Now, let’s go and sit down. Dinner’s about to be served.’
He leads me through the vast living area, out onto a veranda that looks over the sea. All around us, garden torches have been set. Flaring up against the shadows, they cast a magical, dancing light across the table top. And the sun’s dipping now, the bright colours of day changing to deep reds, coppers, bronze and gold – soon to disappear altogether.
‘It’s cooler now, Dan,’ Bill remarks, jolting him out of his daydream.
‘Wonderful,’ he murmurs.
‘The cockroaches have been pretty bad this year.’ The old man motions for me to sit before he takes his own place. ‘Hey, you remember that time you brought Clive over? You must have been fourteen or fifteen.’ He bites back a laugh. ‘We had an infestation, Maya. Cockroaches everywhere. And those little buggers can fly. We were sitting right here, having a meal, and a big daddy of a cockroach flew straight at Clive’s head. It near on knocked him out.’
Dan laughs. ‘He ran inside and wouldn’t come out again all evening.’
Bill calms himself.
‘How’s Clive doing?’
‘Fine. He’s got a new girlfriend. Maya’s friend, Lucy.’
‘Looks like you’re both settling down. You know, Dianna never took to Clive.’ He laughs again. ‘Always moaning, complaining, scared of cockroaches, funny with his food. He wouldn’t eat fish. That’s what did it. This is an island, Maya. You’ve got to like fish.’
‘He’s alright now,’ Dan assures him. ‘He’ll eat anything.’
‘Then you must bring him back out here. And bring his young lady too. And when you have kids, bring them all!’
Dan smiles. ‘We will.’
‘Who’s Dianna?’ I ask, quickly brushing aside all mention of children.
‘My wife. I came out here for a holiday, fell in love and we married a few weeks later. I lost her five years ago. She was the love of my life. We never had any children, not for lack of trying. Just couldn’t. It would have been nice too, seeing the kids, the grandkids. But no. It’s just me and my fake Monet.’
While Bill gives out a loud laugh, Dan seems to be lost in thought.
‘I’m sorry I didn’t come out when it happened,’ he says quietly.
Bill’s laugh is silenced.
‘It’s okay. You didn’t have time.’
‘I could have made time.’
‘No need to worry. You had your reasons.’ He studies Dan. ‘We all go through periods when we forget about our friends, when we obsess over things that do us no good. And most of us manage to snap out of it. I think you have. Perhaps Maya here has made the difference.’
‘Maya has made the difference.’ He runs a finger around the base of his wine glass. ‘And from now on, I’m going to find time for all the important things in life.’ He looks at me, his eyes glimmering in the torch light.
‘Hey!’ Bill calls. ‘Here comes the food.’
Charles and Kathy appear in the doorway, each carrying a silver platter. Unsure of what to do, I simply watch as Dan and Bill spring to their feet and lend a hand, taking the platters and laying them on the table.
‘It’s pretty simple,’ Kathy explains. ‘I didn’t have time for no fancy stuff.’
I gaze at the food. It doesn’t look that simple to me.
‘You got fresh tuna and salad.’ Kathy points to the platter in front of me. ‘And you got Hoppin’ John.’ She waves a hand at the second platter which seems to be piled up with rice, mixed in with a selection of black-eyed peas, onion and some sort of meat.
‘Aren’t you eating with us?’ Dan asks.
‘Not tonight, Danny boy.’ Charles shakes his head. ‘There’s a storm coming on. We’ve got to get home and batten down the hatches. Tomorrow maybe.’ With a touch on Dan’s arm, Charles takes himself back inside the house, and Kathy follows behind.
‘A storm?’ I turn my face to the sky, my stomach clenching. I haven’t noticed the clouds creeping in overhead.
And, for once, Dan doesn’t seem to pick up on my unease. Running his thumb across his bottom lip and gazing into the night, he’s preoccupied with something else. We’re both startled into action by Bill’s voice.
‘Eat! That storm’s not coming yet.’
Half-soothed by Bill’s words and suddenly aware that I’m ravenous, I push all thoughts of bad weather to one side. Piling up my plate with fresh fish, salad and Hoppin’ John, I finish off the entire lot and dive in for more. This might be Kathy’s idea of simple food, but it’s incredible. While I clear my plate for the second time, I listen in as the men chat amicably between mouthfuls: Dan sketching out the last few years at Fosters; Bill telling stories of his life on Bermuda. At last, with the meal finished and a comfortable silence desce
nding between us, I sit back, noting that the wind is getting up now, that the torch flames are beginning to veer to one side.
‘I need to ask you something,’ Dan says at last.
It’s not aimed towards me. I wait for Bill’s answer.
‘Anything.’
‘You knew my parents well. You helped them with the business.’
‘I did.’
‘What would you think …’ He dries up, swallows hard.
‘If you sold it?’
I gape at Dan. Suddenly, my pulse seems to be racing and I don’t know whether it’s because of the sudden charge in the air or the turn in the conversation.
‘How old are you now?’ Bill asks.
‘Thirty-six.’
‘And you’ve been running for Fosters for how long?’
‘Fourteen years.’
The old man considers his words for a minute or so before he finally gives his verdict. ‘From what Norman tells me, the company consumes you, and that’s not good. John and Lydia would have been proud of what you’ve done, but Fosters is … a different animal now. And more than anything, they would have wanted to see you happy.’
The two men watch each other, neither giving away anything much. At last, Bill moves things on.
‘Are you happy, Dan? Having your energy sapped by this beast of burden?’
I’m thoroughly surprised when Dan shakes his head.
‘Then I’d say it’s time to think of yourself. You owe nothing to no one. And if you ever thought you did, you’ve paid your dues.’
I hear a distant rumble, notice that the air has cooled a little more. Sitting bolt upright in my chair, I grip the arms and look up at the sky. It’s darkened further.
‘The storm, Maya,’ Bill smiles. ‘It’s coming in a little faster than I thought. It’ll be cleared by morning. Don’t you worry.’
Don’t you worry? Tightening my grip, I glance at Dan, relieved to see that he’s now fully alert to the situation.
‘We have to go back to the guest house,’ he says, suddenly rising to his feet. ‘I’m sorry, Bill. We’d like to stay longer but …’ He clamps his lips shut and widens his eyes at me.
‘Of course,’ Bill nods. ‘I’m sorry. I forgot. Maya’s not too good with storms.’
‘And it’s best that we go back.’ Holding out a hand, Dan beckons for me to move.
With an apologetic smile, I get up.
‘I’m sorry, Bill.’ I shrug. ‘It was a lovely meal.’
‘No worries, Maya. I’ll see you tomorrow.’
Leaving Bill to clear up the dishes, Dan leads me down the steps, back to the guest house. Within a couple of minutes, we’re inside the bungalow. Closing the French windows, Dan takes me straight to the bedroom and draws the shutters.
‘Get into bed.’
Struggling out of my clothes, I do as I’m told.
‘No tent?’ I ask.
He glances round the room, at the over-sized antique furniture. Making a tent in here would take a serious amount of effort and probably cause a hernia. Instead, shaking his head, he strips off and joins me under the sheet. I’m wrapped in his arms, trembling like an idiot when the first real crash of thunder arrives.
‘Shit.’ I squeeze my eyes shut. Adrenalin begins to pump.
‘It’s okay,’ he whispers, smoothing my hair. ‘Thunder can’t hurt you.’
‘No, but lightning can.’
I hear him chuckle.
‘By the time you hear the thunder, the danger’s already gone. Light travels faster than sound.’
Another crash resounds through the house. The tremble mutates into a judder.
‘I don’t need a fucking physics lesson.’
Shit. I’m swearing again.
‘But there’s no danger anyway.’ Ignoring the petulance, he pushes on, still smoothing my hair. ‘Lightning hits the highest point. The trees are far more likely to cop it.’
Through the shutters, I catch the flash of a lightning bolt. The crash comes almost immediately. It’s deafening. My body convulses.
‘Jesus,’ Dan breathes, tightening his grip. ‘That was close.’
‘This isn’t working,’ I wail.
‘I know. I’m moving on to plan B.’
I have no time to ask what plan B involves. I’m manoeuvred onto my back. Moving on top of me, he leaves my hands free, rests on one elbow and coaxes my legs apart, positioning himself between them.
‘You’re not going to fuck me?’
‘No.’ He plants a gentle kiss on my lips. ‘I’m going to make love to you.’
‘That won’t distract me.’
He grins.
‘It might take the edge off a little.’
Another flash of lightning spills through the shutters. Tensing every muscle, I close my eyes, waiting for the thunder clap. Again, it’s almost immediate. Letting out a quiet sob, I feel a finger at my clit. Slowly, he parts the folds of skin, finds my spot and sets about working me up into a mess down below.
‘Oh, Jesus,’ I groan. ‘I’m telling you, it won’t work.’
‘Open your eyes.’
‘I can’t.’
‘Do as you’re told, woman. This is sex. I’m in charge.’
Reluctantly, I comply. Watching me tenderly, he slides the finger inside, easing me open.
‘I’m here with you,’ he informs me.
‘That’s pretty fucking obvious,’ I cry. ‘But you know what it’s like.’
‘It’s a day for conquering fears, Maya. I’ve got you. You’re perfectly safe.’
Slipping an arm beneath me, he nudges my legs further apart and enters me, pushing inwards, filling me completely.
‘Feel this, Maya. Concentrate on this. You and me. When we’re together, we can get through anything.’
He adjusts his position, sending a spark of electricity right through my abdomen. I see a flash, count the seconds as Dan continues to move. And while the thunder rumbles across the ocean, my insides quake.
I glance at the shutters.
‘Hey.’ He strokes my hair. ‘Don’t look at that. Look at me.’
I do as I’m told.
‘That’s it. Keep it there.’ He withdraws slowly, kissing me again. ‘Stay with me. Feel this.’
‘I can’t …’
‘Yes, you can.’ Proving the point, he drives back into me and I feel it straight away. A glowing sensation takes hold deep in the pit of my vagina. ‘You’re doing it now.’
I moan, let out a jittering breath.
‘I’m still fucking terrified.’
‘Just like our first night together.’ Buried deep inside, he comes to a halt and studies my face. ‘Shall I tell you a secret?’
‘You might as well. What is it? No, don’t tell me. You used to be the Pope.’
He laughs.
‘You’ve got me rumbled. No. That first night we spent together, when I made you a little tent … I was terrified too.’
I hear another laugh, and it’s mine.
‘Oh come off it.’
Looking straight into me, his shakes his head. ‘I wasn’t scared of the storm. I was scared of the way you made me feel. It was something I didn’t understand. All I knew was you’d walked into my life and I never wanted you to walk out of it again. That’s pretty terrifying for a man like me.’
His admission works like a treat. Somewhere outside, thunder echoes through the darkness but all I can think about is what he’s just told me. The first time I went back to his apartment, I had him down as an arrogant prick, and all the time he was simply putting up a front, building his own walls.
‘I love you,’ I murmur. ‘I fucking love you.’
‘And I fucking love you too. I’ll never stop loving you. I’ll never stop protecting you. You’ll never come to any harm, not while there’s breath in my body.’
He begins to move again, driving into me, over and over, with a slow and steady pace. And as the edge of pleasure broadens out, I don’t know if it’s the storm moving on
or the fact that he’s managed to distract me, but the thunder seems more distant now, hardly relevant. All I’m seeing is the man who’s arched above me, the powerhouse of his body, the reverence in his eyes. Completely focussed on him, I might just have fear on the run.
‘Are we ready?’ He smiles.
‘God, yes.’ I smile back.
He picks up the pace, thrusting into me now, taking himself deeper every single time. And as the pressure builds, I slide my hands over his broad shoulders and down his back, bringing them to rest on his backside. Clutching at his taut buttocks, I thrust up against him, struggling to catch a tattered breath while my muscles twitch and tighten and glow.
He watches me constantly, even as he begins to untangle.
‘Fuck it,’ he growls. ‘I’m coming.’
And I let go, completely and utterly, tumbling into oblivion as my insides pulsate.
‘See what you did then?’ he asks, slowing the pace. ‘You rode out a storm.’
He collapses on top of me, digging his face into my neck.
‘I sure did.’
Lifting his head, he smiles and kisses me deeply for an age before he pulls out and sets about cleaning me up with the edge of the sheet.
‘Yuk.’ I scowl.
‘No tissues. I’ll put it in the wash in the morning. Kathy’s never going to know.’
He rolls onto his side and draws me against his chest, face on. Snuggling into his arms and drinking in his scent, I listen to the rain against the window panes. I have no idea how long we stay like this, enjoying the closeness, the quiet, but as the minutes tick by, my new-found bravery seems to grow.
‘I want to go and look,’ I say at last.
‘You do?’ His eyebrows dip. ‘But there might be more lightning.’
‘And if there is, just hold me tight.’
‘Seriously?’
‘Seriously,’ I confirm. ‘I’m sick of running away. I’m sick of hiding. Sometimes it feels like that’s all I’ve ever done. I don’t want to do it any more.’
He watches me for a moment. His eyes flicker with admiration.
‘Fair enough,’ he murmurs at last, pecking me on the lips. ‘Let’s do this thing.’