Chapter Fifteen
‘Ah, it’s Louis.’ Flora picked up her mobile and got to her feet. ‘I’ll take it out here and leave you two lovebirds in peace.’
The second she left the conservatory, Genevieve turned to Finlay. His hand was on hers but she barely registered it as ice was flowing through her veins. ‘Oh god,’ she said. ‘What if he says he can take the photos? We might be stuck as the poster couple forever.’
‘We’ll just say we’d rather not do it. I mean, it’s not unreasonable to say we’re not comfortable with it.’
‘But she knows it’s the kind of thing I would normally jump at.’
‘You already said it wouldn’t sit well with my job. I’ll just play that up. She’s a nice person, she’ll understand.’
She groaned. ‘So much for us coming here to relax.’
‘Well, she admitted she’s an odd woman. Maybe she is, only not for the reasons she thinks.’
‘I didn’t expect such an outpouring.’
‘Me neither.’
‘I feel a bit sorry for her. She sounds really lonely.’
‘She does, but why buy a castle? Wouldn’t it be better to live in a flat surrounded by people if you were lonely?’
‘I don’t know. Maybe she’s lonely but likes living alone… Does that make sense?’
‘Kind of. But none of this really makes sense, does it?’
Flora re-entered and Genevieve sat up, trying to look casual and at ease.
‘Louis can’t do any photos this weekend, but he’s going to get back to me with dates.’
‘I don’t really want to be in any photos,’ Finlay said. ‘The idea of it is lovely but I don’t think I want pupils of mine seeing me on things like that. You know how high school pupils would make fun of it.’
‘Ah yes. I see your point.’ Flora sipped some sherry. ‘I should leave the two of you alone. You’ll be wanting some time without my interference. Why not make use of the hot tub now the weather’s a bit better?’
‘Good idea,’ Finlay said. ‘Thanks for the drink.’ He got to his feet and Genevieve followed.
‘We’ll see you at dinner,’ she said to Flora as she passed her.
‘Yes, indeed. Now go and enjoy yourself.’ Her eyes flashed rather wickedly and Genevieve was glad to leave the room in case her cheeks had gone red.
Finlay marched to the staircase like he was on a mission.
‘I’m not joking about those hidden cameras,’ he muttered. ‘And if she doesn’t have them, she’ll be hanging around listening at the door or out in the field with binoculars, checking what we’re doing in the hot tub.’
‘Stop it,’ Genevieve said, giving his arm a fake slap.
‘Well, really, if we were actually a couple, she’s a bit of a passion killer. I mean, she’s a nice lady but I wouldn’t want to do anything. I’d be too freaked out she was going to appear with her cameraman.’ He pushed open the door to the room. ‘Are we really going to test the hot tub?’
‘Sure… We can always do it individually.’
Finlay half snorted a laugh. ‘God knows what she’ll make of that.’
‘She won’t know.’
‘I bet she will,’ he said darkly.
‘I just hope she isn’t annoyed with us saying no to the photos and doesn’t use that as a reason to say no to my father.’
‘Look, your dad can’t hold you responsible for that. He’s a businessman and should use more appropriate methods. He shouldn’t expect you to do his dirty work.’
‘It’s easy to say that, Finlay, but you don’t have to live with it. He always says that in business you have to think out of the box, take risks and do things differently. He won’t see this as anything more than a different method.’
‘Hmm, well, it’s not a very ethical method. And I can’t have her taking those photos. It’s not just the pupils. My new employers in Dubai have very strict social media rules for staff. It wouldn’t surprise me if there’s something in the contract about public photos too.’
‘Well, we’ll just have to be extra good from now on.’
He huffed out a laugh and started unbuttoning his shirt. ‘Can we do that?’ He undid another button. It seemed unlikely he was doing it to silence her, but it had that effect. She watched as he slowly made his way down, then tugged it off. The last time she’d seen this, she’d been too hungover to pay proper attention. This time, she was fully alert. His contoured chest was covered in a smattering of hair, tapering into a thin line leading to his waistband.
He cleared his throat and Genevieve met his eyes. ‘Nice acting,’ he said. ‘Just watch Flora doesn’t pop in to wipe up your drool.’
‘Excuse me? You think I’m drooling over you?’
He undid his buckle with a flourish and a pronounced wink. ‘Aren’t you?’
‘Of course I’m not.’ Though she kind of was. ‘And you’re the one doing the striptease.’
‘Oh yeah, that’s exactly what I’m doing.’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘But now you mention it… In case she’s listening.’ He climbed onto the bed, knelt on it and put his hand on the headboard, then pumped it against the wall a few times.
‘Oh, stop that,’ Genevieve said. ‘You really are awful.’
‘Ok. Two of the worst things you could say right there if we’re trying to be authentic. You should be saying “don’t stop” and “you are sooo great at this”.’
‘Ha, ha, ha,’ she said, making sure he got the large dollop of sarcasm. She looked away and marched over to her case, pulling out her bright fuchsia bikini. Glancing into the mirror, she saw Finlay climb off the bed and drop his trousers. His gaze landed on the skimpy bikini in her hand.
‘Whose turn to drool now?’ She smirked as she looked around.
‘Very amusing.’ He made quite a meal of searching his bag for his trunks, then put them on facing away from her. She had a nice view of his rear before he pulled up a pair of baggy board shorts. Maybe they were a deliberate choice. They certainly hid any evidence that he found her skimpy swimwear a turn on. Not that she was in it yet. Getting a jumpsuit off was never a gainly sight.
With a slight shake of his head and a quirk of his lip, he left the room for the bathroom, and Genevieve wriggled out the top half of her jumpsuit and pulled off her bra. Freeing her breasts to the cool air made them jut out, her nipples peaked, pointing straight at the door Finlay had just gone through. How could she deny how much she craved his touch? She tossed her hair over her shoulder and tied on her bikini top. Quickly she tugged off her jumpsuit and her knickers, replacing them with the bikini bottoms that were little more than a triangle of fabric.
The French doors were open and Genevieve headed outside. Finlay glanced up from his position deep in the bubbly water of the hot tub. ‘This is surprisingly relaxing,’ he said. His eyes roamed over her and his facial muscles seemed to tighten a little. ‘I thought we were doing this individually.’
‘Really? Can’t you handle this?’
‘Handle what exactly?’
She raised an eyebrow and climbed into the warm water. ‘Still you drooling, I’d say.’ She settled opposite him, letting the straps fall from her shoulders.
‘Has the tantric moment arrived?’ Finlay said, his gaze meeting hers.
‘Maybe.’
‘Oh god, this is so good,’ he groaned and Genevieve gaped at him. He grinned. ‘Just making it sound genuine, in case you-know-who is listening,’ he whispered.
Genevieve rolled her eyes. ‘Right. Well, from what I’ve heard, getting frisky in a hot tub is never as romantic as it is in the movies. Not that I’ve tested it.’
‘I think it’s all about the foreplay. You know, a bit of kissing, some caressing and cuddling? A few well-placed nuzzles, a bit of exploration, and when we’re fully ignited, we nip into the bedroom and let loose the fireworks.’
Genevieve sucked on her lip, not sure whether to laugh or to move in beside him and let him do everything he’d just said. She settled on a smile and asked, ‘Are you an expert in such things?’
‘I told you, I’ve never been in one of these things in my life before. The principle seems clear enough though.’
‘Maybe we should test it. That’s what we’re here to do, after all. Your tantric mistress is looking for a master.’
He raised his eyebrow. ‘Are you mad?’
‘I don’t think kissing you in a hot tub is worse than pretending to be engaged. People hook up all the time at parties.’
‘Yeah, I’m not sure that’s a road I want to travel.’
Genevieve watched him, dying to ask him why not. But she wasn’t sure she really wanted to hear the answer. Was it he just didn’t like her enough or was it because he felt more for her than he should? She could relate to the latter. Much as she’d love to get closer to him, she wasn’t sure she wanted to move things any deeper. It would be hard enough ending this when the time came without any added emotions. Or should she not give any of that a second thought and do what Flora said – do what made her happy today, right now, as there may be no tomorrow?
‘Why are you moving to Dubai?’ she asked.
‘Isn’t it obvious?’ He stretched his arms along the side of the tub and Genevieve tried not to let the sight of his broad chest have any effect on her. Why should it? Apart from the fact it was gorgeous.
So near yet so far.
‘Because of Elise, I guess,’ she said.
‘Spot on.’
‘But why Dubai?’
‘They’re always looking for teachers and the pay is great. Much better than here.’
Genevieve rested her head back and let the warm water soothe her. ‘It’s not a place I ever fancied going to,’ she said. ‘I know a lot of people love the scene there, but it intimidates me for some reason.’
‘Why? Because you’re not allowed to kiss in public?’
‘All the rules scare me.’
‘They’ve relaxed a few of them, but my employers are very strict, which is why I was panicking about that video. Technically, an unmarried couple aren’t allowed to share a room in a hotel in Dubai. It would be a grey area for me to move into my accommodation with a fiancée.’
‘But I’m not actually coming.’ Had he forgotten?
‘What? Oh, yeah, I know. I just meant how it’ll look from their perspective.’
‘Won’t it be a really big culture shock? What if you don’t like it?’
He ran his hands through his hair, leaving a slightly damp trail. ‘I’m trying not to think about it like that. I’ve committed to a three-year contract, so I can’t back out now.’
‘You’re very brave.’
‘You think?’
‘Definitely. I admire anyone who wants to live in another country. I’m not sure I could even manage another town. This is where I’ve always been and it’s never bothered me.’
‘I thought you’d travelled quite extensively.’
‘I have, but only on holiday.’
‘Maybe that’s the best idea. I’m sure I’ll find out, come the end of the summer.’
‘Mitzi can’t go anywhere like that. She really struggles in the hot weather. I have to leave her with Mum and Dad if I travel.’
‘Aw, bless her. The poor wee pup.’
She smiled across at him, restraining all the urges to jump into his arms. The port liqueur wasn’t enough to send her over the edge like prosecco. She was mistress of this and could handle her feelings as she always did. But her heart still niggled away like she had palpitations, shoving wishes and desires to the surface, begging him to stay, to notice her and to make this real. Only she couldn’t. Because pretending love wasn’t the same as real love. And what about her relationship with Hayley? Would that suffer when this ended? Hardly a reason to keep it going indefinitely. That day would inevitably come anyway.
‘I’m shrivelling up,’ she said. ‘I think I should get out.’
‘Me too,’ Finlay agreed, looking at his hands. ‘We can warm up in the bedroom. I’ll rattle the headboard some more and you can ooh and ahh a bit.’
‘Shut up.’ She flicked some water at him as she stood up.
He turned away to avoid it and laughed.
As she made to climb out, her foot slipped and she wobbled. She grabbed the side for security at the same time as Finlay’s hand landed on her back. He was standing behind her.
‘Are you—’
He didn’t finish the sentence. He lost his footing on the same slippery patch and grabbed hold of the back of her bikini top as he splashed into the water.
‘Bugger,’ he said.
The ties came apart and the top slipped off, leaving her fully exposed.
‘Bloody hell,’ she said. ‘Just as well no one is in that field.’
‘You hope.’ Finlay stood again, grabbing the edge and climbing out, obviously determined there would be no more slip-ups.
‘There are more subtle ways to undress me.’ She pulled the soaked top back up.
‘Are you questioning my technique?’
She raised her eyes to him and her body clenched in response to the look on his face. Nothing could hide the hunger. She shivered.
‘It’s cold, let’s get inside.’
‘Shower?’ he said, raising his eyebrows. ‘In the large-enough-for-two wet area.’
‘Whatever,’ she said, trying to sound like it was of no concern.
He smirked and went inside. She waited for a moment, the cool breeze playing on her skin, flushed and warm from the tub. The sound of the shower burst into action, water splashing onto the tiled floor. She moved to the door, her heart racing. Finlay had his head back as he rinsed himself down. Fully naked now, she saw his blurred shape through the frosted glass. No way could she go in there with him. She would definitely do something she regretted. He moved towards the opening and lifted a towel. She had a brief full frontal before he pulled the towel around his waist.
‘I’m done,’ he shouted.
She held back, out of sight, so it didn’t look like she’d been watching. When she went inside, he was still in the bathroom.
‘I left it running. I was waiting for you.’
‘You seriously think it would be a good idea to share a shower?’
‘No. I think it would be a very bad idea. Very bad indeed.’ He sat on a white wooden chair beside the bath.
‘What are you doing?’
‘My turn to watch.’
‘What? No way… I didn’t—’
‘Oh yeah? You sure about that?’
‘Get out. Go on.’ She flapped her hand at the door.
With a low rumbling laugh, he did.
She stepped into the shower, hoping it would wash away her deep embarrassment.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
He knew she’d been watching.