True Colours (The You Don't Know Me Trilogy Book 2) (26 page)

The fingertip stops mid-movement.  He squints up at me.

‘Not Dan.’ Bill smiles.  ‘Dan’s afraid of nothing.’

Apart from his own past, I’d like to add.  And believe you me, I’d like to see him face that head-on.

‘So what are your plans for today?’  Reaching forwards, Bill offers to pour me a third cup of tea.

‘No plans.’  Clearly relieved that the conversation’s moving on, Dan leans back, resting an arm across the back of his chair.  ‘We just need to relax.  De-stress a little.’

The old man places the teapot back onto the end of the table.  ‘So, this is your first time on the island, Maya?’

‘Yes.’

‘It’s a beautiful place.  Dan used to visit a lot, but I haven’t seen him since he was eighteen.  Can you imagine that?  All those years and he never bothered.’

Dan looks down, seemingly sheepish.

‘I’m teasing him,’ Bill laughs.  ‘We’ve talked on the phone.  I’ve tried to get him to come back, but he was always too busy.  Always.’

And now my apparent fiancé shifts about in his chair.  Suddenly, he doesn’t seem quite so relaxed.  ‘Running that company isn’t easy, Bill.’

‘I know that, but you could have taken a holiday every once in a while.  Maya, have you met Norman?’

‘Yes.’

‘An old friend of mine.  He hasn’t been out here for a few years now.  Too old for the flight, he says.  But me and Norman talk.  And I know what goes on with this boyfriend of yours.  I know he works too hard.  Why did you never take a holiday, Dan?’

‘I’ve travelled all over the world with Fosters.  There’s been no need.’

Bill shakes his head.  ‘You’ve been punishing yourself.’

I watch as Dan bites back a scowl, realise that Bill’s managed to hit the nail right on the head, and resolve to change the course of the conversation.

‘How did you know Mr and Mrs Foster?’ I ask.

‘John and Lydia?  I lived near them.  We were good friends.  John did some work for me on my house.  I was in banking.  I had a pretty big house in Surrey, but it was falling to pieces.  John helped me put it back together again.  I moved out here about twenty-five years ago.  They used to come out every summer.  And then Dan arrived.’  He shoots a questioning look at Dan.

‘It’s alright,’ he says quietly.  ‘She knows.’

Bill nods.  ‘I first met him when he was thirteen.  Those were good holidays, eh, Dan?’

‘They were.’  He smiles.

‘I know I’ve said it on the phone, but I’m sorry about what happened.  They were taken from us too soon.’

While Dan goes back to trailing his fingertip across the table, Bill watches him carefully.

‘Well,’ he says at last.  ‘I’ll leave you two alone for now.’  Standing up, he touches Dan on the shoulder.  ‘I want you to come up for dinner tonight.  Seven o’clock.  Shorts and T-shirts.  We don’t stand on ceremony here, Maya.  Have a relaxing day.’  He leans down and kisses me on the cheek.  ‘And make sure he takes you for a swim.’

‘But I don’t have a swimming costume.’

‘I’ll have a quiet word with Kathy.  She’ll go into Hamilton and pick something up for you and Danny boy.’

I catch a wince from Dan.

‘Seven o’clock.  Be late if you like.’

With a laugh, Bill makes his way up the path, back to the big house, stopping off here and there to smell a flower or take a look at the ocean.  When I turn back to Dan, he’s gazing at me.

‘So,’ he begins.

‘So?’ I bat the word right back at him.

‘I’m sorry.  I’m sorry I lied to you.  It was stupid and I’m an idiot.’

‘You can say that again.’

‘I just didn’t know how to tell you.  I was terrified of losing you.  I still am.’

‘You’re not going to lose me.’

‘But now you know what I’ve done.’  He frowns.  ‘I caused a woman to kill herself.’

‘You’ve got it all wrong,’ I inform him.  A good night’s sleep has clarified matters for me, and with the clouds of shock and exhaustion finally lifted, I’m as clear-headed as they come.  ‘You’ve had it wrong for years.’

He’s clearly confused now, and I really don’t blame him.  After all, while he’s been busy preparing to ask for my forgiveness and understanding, I’ve been slowly coming to the conclusion that he’s not the guilty party at all.

‘You didn’t mislead her?’ I ask.

‘No.’

‘Then she’s the one who caused the situation.  She trapped you.  You just reacted the same way anyone else would have done.  Whatever decisions she made, that was her business, but you’re not responsible for her death.’

He lowers his head.

‘It all makes sense now,’ I press on quickly.  ‘Why you closed yourself off.  Why you worked yourself half to death.  It was because you didn’t want to hurt anyone again.  It was guilt.  You punished yourself for what happened … only it wasn’t your fault.’

He takes in a breath, but says nothing.  And he doesn’t have to.  I can see it in his face: I’ve finally got to the truth.

‘The past is the past.  That’s your mantra, isn’t it?  Draw a line under everything, block it all out.’

‘It’s seen me through.’

‘But at what cost?’  I pause, already knowing the answer.  ‘You didn’t confront the past.  You just buried it … and you ended up lonely.’

He frowns, disbelieving, as if I’ve just told him he’s grown an extra leg.

‘I’ve always had people around me.’

‘But you never let anyone get close.  You’ve already admitted that.’

He’s still not convinced.  And maybe I should provide a little first-hand evidence of my own.

‘I saw you, Dan.  That first time I ever stayed over, I saw you in the morning, out on the terrace.  You didn’t know I was there but I was watching you, and I’ve never seen anyone look so lonely in my life.’

‘I’m not lonely any more.’

‘Maybe not.  But you still need a new mantra.  You’ve got to deal with the past, not hide from it.  You’ve got to face your demons just like I’ve got to face mine.  We’re the king and queen of brushing the crap under the carpet, you and me, and because we’ve never really faced it, we’ve never really lived.’

His lips curl up into a smile.

‘So, we’re both fucked up then?’

‘Maybe,’ I smile back at him.  ‘But we can both undo the damage.  Together.’

Taking my hand in his, he begins to stroke his thumb across my palm, over and over, watching its slow progress against my skin.

‘You’ve already told me what I need to do.  I need to talk to Sara.’  I hold my breath for a moment.  We’re both fully aware of what’s coming next.  ‘And you know what you need to do.  You need to get back in touch with your sisters.’

Still stroking my hand, he looks out to sea.

‘Whatever you did to hurt them, they’ll forgive you for it.’

He turns back to me and gazes into my eyes for an age.

‘Does this mean I’m forgiven?’ he asks at last.

‘For getting married?  There’s nothing to forgive.  For lying to me?  I suppose so.’  Prising my hand out of his, I take another sip of tea.  ‘But, just for the record, I’m still bloody angry with you, and I can’t deal with any more secrets, and I definitely don’t want any more lies.’

With a sigh, he picks up a teaspoon and taps the table.

‘There won’t be any.’

‘You’d better make sure of it, Mr Foster.’

‘I certainly will, Miss Scotton.’

I finish off the tea.

‘Anyway.’  Putting down my cup, I sit back in my chair.  ‘I’ve actually had a gutful of big talk.  Are we going to get on with the business of relaxing now, or what?’

His face melts into a broad smile and my heart rate accelerates.  I’m lost again in the blue of those irises, as bright and complex as the sea in front of me.  I’m about to suggest that we go straight back to bed for a good old session when his attention wanders to something behind me.

‘Here comes Kathy.’

An older woman approaches the table, maybe in her sixties, dark-skinned, almost as rotund as Betty.

‘Danny boy!’ she screeches.  ‘Come here and give your aunty Kathy a big hug!’

With another wince, he gets to his feet and wraps his arms around Kathy.  She laughs loudly, her eyes bright with pleasure.  ‘Oh Lord, you’ve grown into a big, strapping man.  And this is Maya?’

‘Hi Kathy.  It’s good to meet you.’

I stand up and let myself be squeezed half to death.

‘You two getting married, eh?’

I shoot a look of almost certain death at Dan.  He grins back at me, and I really could give him his comeuppance.  But Kathy’s appearance seems to have completely banished the serious mood, and I want it to stay that way.  After we put in our orders for swimwear and two pairs of sunglasses, Kathy collects up the remnants of the breakfast.

‘A couple of hours.’  She smiles.  ‘Hamilton’s only down the road, but we’re on island time.  I’ll leave you two love birds alone now.  Hey!’  She touches Dan on the arm.  ‘You’d better have your honeymoon right here.’

‘So …’  He stands up and holds out a hand.  ‘How about that swim?’

It’s an automatic reaction: I slip my fingers into his.  And then I glance up the hill at Kathy’s receding figure.  ‘But I need a bikini.’

‘Bollocks to that.’

Urging me to my feet, he tightens his grip on my hand and leads me across the lawn.  In silence, we thread our way down a path where the trees overhang the walkway, forming a canopy of welcome shade, further down a set of steps, encroached by bushes that seem to be overflowing with flowers in every possible colour.  Eventually, the bushes and trees give way to a small, secluded cove.  Walking out over the sand, he releases my hand and I come to a halt, turning slowly to take in the view.  Joining up with the woodland behind, two banks of grey, volcanic cliffs curl around us like a pair of arms hiding their secret from the world.  In front of me, a bed of untouched pink sand glistens in the sunlight, burying itself into a turquoise sea.  In between the fingertips of rock, wave after wave rolls gently against the shore and further out, shimmering in the late morning sun, I spot a tiny island, topped with a clump of strange, jagged trees.  It’s incredible.  Just perfect.

I’m about to tell him as much when I realise he’s taking off his T-shirt and ruffling his hair.  Suddenly, instead of gawping at the scene, I’m gawping at his muscles, wishing that he’d drag me back to the bedroom for another slice of sexual paradise.

‘Come on, Maya,’ he grins.  ‘Get your clothes off.’

‘We’re skinny dipping?’

‘Oh yes.’  He scans the cove, homing in on a patch of shade beneath a cliff, and a pair of huge sunbeds.  ‘Actually …’  Obviously having second thoughts about the swim, he leaves his shorts in place.  ‘We should stay out of the sun for a while.  Don’t want you to burn up.’  Raising an eyebrow, he saunters over to the cliff, settles onto a sunbed, puts up his feet and leans back, making himself completely comfortable.

‘You want to lie in the shade?’ I ask, coming to stand by his side.

‘Of course not.’  He smiles lazily.  ‘I want to fuck in the shade.’

And that does it.  A rising heat in my groin, a flutter in my clitoris.  I look back at the pathway.

‘What?  Here?’

‘It’s the only shade on the beach, Maya.’  He snakes an arm behind his head.  ‘Strip for me.’

‘But …’

‘Chill out.  This place is completely private.’

‘But what about Bill?’

‘He never comes down here.  Now get on with it.  Strip.’  Lips parted, eyes hooded, he waves a hand.  ‘And do it slowly.  You know what I like.’

Feeling distinctly nervous, I lift the strappy top over my head and drop it onto the sand.  He smiles, taking in my body as if he’s savouring a work of art, and I know exactly what he wants next: a good view of my breasts.  But he’s not getting it, not just yet.  I’m going to make him wait.  Deciding to leave the bra in place for now, I unfasten my shorts instead and edge them down my legs, taking my time, stepping out of them in slow motion before I straighten up.  When I finally take off my bra, I throw it at his face, but he’s far too quick.  With a grin, he catches it, swirls it round a finger and flings it off towards the second sunbed.

Before I can even make a start on my knickers, he signals for me to get closer.  Tucking an index finger into the waistband, he runs it from side to side, smiling to himself in a reverie that doesn’t last for long.  He tugs at the knickers, forcing me onto the sunbed, his big hands manoeuvring me into position and I’m kneeling now, straddling his crotch, his hard-on totally evident.  I feel a hand at the back of my head, and I’m pulled in for a kiss.

‘What now?’ I breathe.

‘This.’

In an instant, he reaches down and tears away the knickers.

‘Oh, bloody hell.’

Ignoring my complaint, he takes hold of my thighs and grinds against me.  Already pulsating deep inside, I swallow back a groan.  He reaches up, eases the band out of my up-do and tosses it away, leaving my hair to tumble onto his bare chest.  I get a few seconds to run my hands across his muscles, loving their tautness, before he issues the next order.

‘Get these shorts off me.’

Quickly, I raise myself onto my knees and pull at his shorts, realising that he’s gone commando today.  His cock springs free: hard and ready to go.  I draw the shorts down over his feet, discarding them on the sand with the rest of our clothes.  Holding out an arm, he motions for me to return to my previous position, and I shuffle back into place, straddling him again.  Only this time, skin on skin, I get the full effect of his erection.

‘Are you wet?’ he asks.

‘I believe so.’

He smiles mischievously.  ‘What am I going to do with you, Miss Scotton?’

Without waiting for the obvious answer, he clasps one hand around my upper arm, urging me upwards, while he guides himself into me with the other.

‘Slowly,’ he warns me.

Resting my hands on the sunbed, I begin to work, up and down, as slowly as I can, but it isn’t easy.  Almost as soon as I begin, ripples of warmth flood through my abdomen, causing the walls of my vagina to quiver.

‘God, Maya.  I fucking love you.’

‘And I fucking love you too.’

He lets go of my arm, clamps a palm around my buttocks and begins to thrust.  Steadying himself against the sunbed with his free hand, he matches my action with his own and before long, we fall into a perfect, steady rhythm.

‘I’m not going to last long,’ I warn him, only too aware of the growing tension inside.

‘And you think I am?’

He switches up the tempo, punching into me with quick, deep movements that hit the back of my vagina, and even though I’m the one on top, I know he’s gradually taking over.  With a dishevelled heart rate and a rampaging pulse, I struggle to suck in a decent breath.  I’m pretty sure that I’m about to pass out when a fizzling sensation erupts deep inside.  The grip tightens on my buttocks.  I watch as his pupils dilate and his lips part.  Overcome by the moment, he takes a handful of my hair, tugging me in for a ferocious kiss.  He jolts and thrusts, one final time, groaning into my mouth as we come together.

‘Fucking hell,’ he gasps, still twitching inside.  ‘Paradise just got better.’

Exhausted and contented beyond belief, I crumble into his arms, conscious of the fact that bodily fluids are already beginning to obey the laws of gravity.  If we’re not careful, we’re going to ruin one hell of an expensive sunbed.  I’d get up and avoid the impending mess, but I can’t move.  An arm is locked around my back.

‘I’m going to bring you back here every summer and fuck you on this thing,’ he breathes into my ear.

‘This one?  Not the other one?’

With a laugh, he releases me.

‘Definitely this one.’  He smiles lazily.  ‘I’ll make a notch on it.’

‘I’m hot.’  I blow a strand of hair out of my eyes.

‘Then it’s time for that swim.’

Gently prompting me to move, he sits up.  I struggle to my feet, face the ocean … and stall.  It’s calm, inviting, glorious, but I can’t remember the last time I swam in the sea.  And anyway, every single time I’ve ever taken a dip in salt water, it’s always been in England.  Here, I simply have no idea what’s lurking in the depths.

I feel an arm around my waist.

‘Tell me you can swim.’

‘Yes.’ I bristle.  Really?  Does he think I’m that hopeless?  ‘But aren’t there sharks?’

I look up to find amusement in his eyes.

‘Yes.’

‘Then I can’t ...’

He raises a hand, halting me in my tracks.

‘Bermuda’s surrounded by a reef.  The sharks hardly ever come in.  There’s never been a shark fatality here.  You’re perfectly safe.’

‘You could have just told me there weren’t any.’

‘And lie to you?’  He clasps my hand.  ‘Come on.  Remember what Bill said.  You need to face your fears head on.’

He leads me into the water, one step at a time, keeping hold of my hand, smiling in reassurance.  It deepens quickly and before long I’m up to my waist, surprised at how warm the water is, how quickly I get used to it.  But still …

‘I could be the first fatality,’ I splurt.

‘Relax.  Sperm’s a natural shark repellent.’

‘Is it?’

He laughs, urging me further.  When I’m up to my breasts, I look back at the deserted shore, hardly aware that his hand has left mine.  Jesus, we could both be eaten now and nobody would know about it for hours.  I hear a splash, turn quickly and find him treading water.

‘Come on, Maya.’  He grins.  ‘You might as well.’

‘Yeah.’  I nod frantically.

And that’s when it happens.  In an act of pure lunacy, my brain flicks a switch and hurls me into reckless mode.  Almost panicking, but not quite, I take the plunge, swimming off towards the entrance to the cove.

‘Sod the sharks,’ I shout.  ‘Bollocks to the sharks!  They’re not eating me.’

I swim on, hearing the smash of water by my side as Dan overtakes me, showing off with a front crawl.  There’s no way I can match that.  Instead, I decide to carry on with my lady-like breaststroke, watching as he finally realises that he’s left me behind and comes to a halt, treading water until I catch up.

‘Further?’ he asks.

‘Out there?’

I squint and gulp, accidentally swallowing a mouthful of salty water.

‘It’s perfectly safe.  I’ve swum to it before.’

‘Okay.’  My heart beat jitters, but I’m determined to meet the challenge.  ‘Let’s do it.’

He stays by my side now, sometimes on his back, sometimes slipping into a sedate breast stroke, watching me constantly and smiling his encouragement as we swim.  It doesn’t take long to reach the island and when we get there, I’m amazed to find that someone has gone to the trouble of fashioning concrete steps into the water.

‘Why are there steps?’ I ask.  ‘There’s nothing here but rocks and trees.’

‘Bill had it done.’  He hauls himself up onto the bottom step, still waist-deep in the water.  ‘For me and Louis.  We used to come out here and pretend we were explorers.’

With a smile, I pull myself onto the step, settling in between his legs.  He curves an arm around me, under the water, and rests his chin on my shoulder.  For a minute or so, we remain silent, gazing back at the shoreline, and right here, right now, it feels as if there’s no one else in the world.

‘Listen to that,’ he whispers at last.

‘I can’t hear anything.’

‘Precisely.  Peace and quiet.  Nobody bothering us.  How much better can life get?’

‘It can’t get any better.’

‘It can,’ he whispers, leaving a good pause before his next words.  ‘Marry me.’

I turn to look at him.  He touches a palm against my cheek, his eyes soft, waiting for an answer.  And I’m so close to giving him what he wants.  But I can’t.  Not yet.

‘Still too fast,’ I inform him.

‘Bugger.’  He smiles.  ‘I thought I’d have you this time.’

‘Patience.’

He grimaces at the word.  ‘Just for the record, should I try every day, or every other day?  It’s just that I’m not too sure.’

‘About once a week.’

His eyebrows curve upwards.  ‘Fair enough.  Well, this is Saturday, so every weekend.  Is that okay?’

I nod, nonchalantly.  His smile widens.

‘We should go.  We’re going to fry in this sun.  Are you ready to swim back yet?’

‘I think so.’

‘Not scared?’

‘A little,’ I admit.  After all, what’s the point in trying to deny it?  ‘But what the hell?’  I slide away from him, back into the water.  ‘It’s day for facing fears.’

A shower, a quick session in the bedroom and a light lunch lead us neatly through to the afternoon.  With a few hours to kill before dinner, Dan announces that we’re going out to explore and before long I find myself in the passenger seat of Bill’s BMW, skirting along a coast road and ignoring the scenery.  I’m far too distracted by the sight of the man at my side.  Wearing a pair of Ray Bans that Kathy bought in town, and back in his shorts and T-shirt, he could easily pass for a movie star.  Nobody would ever guess he spends his days discussing the ins and outs of multi-storey car parks and shopping malls.

‘We need to go back to the house,’ I announce, fiddling with my own pair of sunglasses and slipping them on.  ‘I want more sex and I want it now.’

He smiles.

‘My nymphomaniac girlfriend is going to have to wait.  I’m taking you somewhere.’

‘Where?’  I lean my head back against a leather rest, enjoying the cool rush of the air-conditioning.

‘Surprise.’

Flicking the indicator, he flashes me a quick grin, and we head away from the coast, pressing inwards now, passing the occasional field or a smattering of pastel coloured bungalows, all topped with the same white roofs.  At last, we leave the main road behind and begin to trundle along a track.  Up ahead, perched at the top of a hill, I can see a white lighthouse … and we seem to be aiming straight for it.