Chapter 3 #2
I try not to think about the money we’ve – or rather Adrian’s – wasted on cancelling the wedding at the last minute.
He promised he’d cover it and pay me back for any I’ve lost, since it’s his fault we’re in this horrible situation, but I’m still smarting about the time and energy I’ve wasted on it – and him.
Hot tears start to pool behind my eyes, and I have to force myself to think about something else so I don’t start blubbing right here at the poolside in front of Kit. I really don’t want him to feel like he has to look after me in any way.
Out of the corner of my eye I see him shift on his lounger, as if he’s sensed I’m thinking about him, and I feel his gaze on me.
After a second I glance round at him, not wanting to seem impolite, but also not wanting to appear as if I’m up for a long, drawn-out chat right now.
‘So how long are you here for?’ he asks.
‘Just a few days in Kyoto, but ten days in Japan,’ I say.
He nods.
‘You?’ I ask.
‘I’m planning on at least two weeks here at the hotel, but I’ll see how I go.’
‘At least two weeks?’ I ask, a little incredulous.
That amount of time must be costing him a fortune, but he’s contemplating staying for even longer?
He must have money to burn. I know his family is wealthy – he went to private school and they have a holiday home in France somewhere – but he never seemed to have a ton of money to spend when we were at uni and had a room in a basic, shared student flat, like the rest of us.
I guess ‘business’ is good at the moment.
‘It depends,’ he says, shrugging. ‘I might travel round Japan for a bit as well, but I’m not sure how much I’ll want to do on my own.’
I just blink at him for a second as I live through a bizarre train of thought where the two of us end up travelling around together, exploring all the country has to offer.
Luckily I’m saved from having to make sense of that ridiculous diversion because the server returns with our drinks and puts them carefully onto the table between our two loungers.
‘Thanks,’ Kit says to him, and I smile and thank him as well.
We both pick up our respective drinks at the same time and Kit holds his out towards me. ‘To freedom,’ he says.
‘To freedom,’ I repeat, wishing I meant it.
We clink them together, then both take long sips before returning them to the table.
It’s the weirdest thing, drinking a cocktail by the pool with Kit, instead of Adrian. Like I’ve accidentally tripped into a parallel universe or something.
‘So how do you like your room here?’ Kit asks me, propping his head on the heel of his hand and fixing me with his dark, hooded gaze.
Heat rushes up my spine.
‘It’s great. Actually, it’s amazing. Exactly what I pictured and then some.’
He nods like he understands.
‘How about your room? Is it what you expected?’ I ask, wondering fleetingly whether we’re next door to each other.
‘Actually, I’m in one of the apartments. They’re separate from the main part of the hotel so really private.’
I push my sunglasses down my nose and look at him over the top of them, then roll my eyes in mock jest. ‘Of course you are. Only the best for you, right, Kit?’ I say with a grin.
‘What’s wrong with wanting the best?’ He sounds genuinely confused.
I shrug and quickly look away to watch the people who are swimming in the pool, before his penetrating gaze makes me wobble. ‘It’s fine for those who can afford it.’
‘Well, you’re staying at this hotel too, so I have to assume you’re not exactly on the breadline yourself.’
I bristle. I really don’t want to talk to him about my financial situation. ‘I do okay,’ I say, looking back at him. ‘But I don’t normally stay in five-star hotels. I’ve been saving for this one for ages because it’s been on my bucket list to come here ever since I saw it on a TV show I love.’
‘You mean that sexy one with all the couples having affairs with each other?’ he asks, folding his arms and making the muscles bunch in his shoulders. I have to make a real effort to keep my gaze on his face.
‘It had a bit more depth to the story than that,’ I say, smiling. ‘But yeah, I think we’re talking about the same one. Did you like it?’
‘Never saw it.’
‘Really? I thought it’d be exactly your sort of thing,’ I say, sitting up straighter in my lounger. I reach over to the table for my drink and take another big gulp of it.
‘Oh yeah? Why’s that?’
‘Because of the inventive sex,’ I say, feeling my skin buzz with a long-ignored yearning.
Our eyes lock and we stare at each other for a beat. I could swear the same thoughts about how inventive our sex had been are now also going through his mind.
‘Jeez, I think this cocktail’s gone straight to my head,’ I say, aware of heat rushing up from my throat to my face again.
‘Yeah. Drinking in the sun does that to me too. I lose all my inhibitions.’ He flashes me a wolfish grin and I know for sure now that he was having the same thoughts as me.
There’s another loaded pause where we just look at each other again. I swear his pupils have dilated and his eyes are now nearly entirely black.
A hot pulse of need beats between my thighs.
Oh, my God. I really need to move this conversation away from sex.
Maybe we should get back to the subject of money, that’ll kill the mood. Clearly he has lots of it and he’s bound to want to show off a little, in his arrogant, but charming, way.
Something suddenly occurs to me.
‘Hang on a second. Don’t the apartments have their own private swimming pools? I’m sure I saw that on the website,’ I say.
There’s a moment where he blinks at me and I get the impression he’s trying to think of a good excuse for why he’s not there right now. ‘Yeah, I have a pool, but I thought I’d check out this one first. So I can give Elliot my feedback on the whole experience of being here.’
I frown, confused. ‘Um… Sorry, I’m lost. Elliot? Your friend Elliot from uni?’
‘The very same.’
‘Why does he need feedback? Is he thinking about booking here for his own honeymoon?’ I shift on my lounger so I can look at him more comfortably without cricking my neck.
‘You might want to warn him there’s a good chance this place is cursed for honeymooners, since the both of us have turned up here without a spouse. ’
‘It’s his hotel,’ he says, like I’m being a bit obtuse. ‘Didn’t you know?’
I sit up straighter. ‘No. Since when?’
‘Since he bought the whole Vanaheim Grand chain a couple of years ago.’
‘He owns all the Vanaheim Grand hotels? How the hell? The last time I saw him he was eating pasta with ketchup because he’d run out of money for that month.’
Kit flashes me a grin. ‘Yeah, well, he’s come a long way since then. We all have.’
‘Speak for yourself. I’m not sure coming “a long way” is how I’d describe my journey since uni. Don’t get me wrong, I’m doing a job I like, but I have aspirations to go a lot further.’
There’s a wry smile playing about his mouth now and I can tell he’s about to tell me something else ‘cool’. I can just sense it.
‘Well, actually—’ he begins.
I can’t help but smile and shake my head in recognition at my insight.
He pauses and gives me a questioning frown.
‘Sorry, please go ahead and tell me how brilliantly you’re doing,’ I say, loading my tone with jokey sarcasm.
‘No, no. I wouldn’t want to ruin your day any more than I already have,’ he says, mirroring my mockery.
I’m suddenly keenly aware that this is the way we used to flirt with each other, and a memory of kissing him just to shut him up flies into my head. It had resulted in some of the best sex I’ve ever had.
My skin flushes with an electric sort of heat as flashes of that night come back to play through my mind.
What the hell? I’m supposed to be in mourning for my last relationship. I shouldn’t be feeling like this, all hot and bothered and turned on.
It’s bringing it home to me just how long it’s been since I’ve felt that way though. Adrian never had this same effect on me, and the realisation is spinning me out a little.
‘You know what? I think I’m going to go back to my room and chill there for a bit before dinner,’ I blurt, reaching with a shaky hand for my tote bag.
He frowns. ‘Hey, wait. Don’t let me chase you off.’
‘You’re not. I’m just a bit wired for company right now.’ I stand up and pull on my shorts and vest, then pick up my towel from the lounger and shove it into the tote.
‘Okay. Well, it was good chatting,’ he says, watching me with a slightly bemused expression.
‘It was,’ I say, flashing him a tight grin.
I really need to get out of here now.
Picking up my cocktail, I drain the last of it, then return the glass to the table. ‘Thanks for the drink.’
‘Welcome.’
‘See you around,’ I say.
‘Not if I see you first.’ I look back at him and catch him cringing a little at his words. ‘Yeah, okay, that was lame.’
I can’t stop the grin that pushes at the corners of my mouth. He always could make me smile, even when I was trying not to.
But I really should go.
No good can come of being around Kit Charleston.