Chapter Sixteen
Iona
M onty’s grip on Iona’s hips was firm. She clutched his cheeks, drinking in the taste of his lips, enjoying the prickle of his stubble. The wind picked up around them, whipping her hair into her face, but she barely noticed. All her focus was on the heat and urgency of their kiss, and the way Monty’s touch sent shivers through her.
He definitely wasn’t holding back this time. Was this how he kissed Sophie? If so, the woman was an idiot. This was far from boring. Intense passion filled it. Iona moaned. ‘Monty,’ she murmured against his lips, her breath hitching.
‘What?’ he said with a sharp exhale. ‘Is something wrong?’
‘No.’ She shook her head, smiling, her lips swollen and tender. ‘Why don’t we take these off?’ She tugged the leg of his glasses.
‘Oh, sure.’ He took them off and blinked.
‘I’d like to kiss Superman, not Clark Kent.’
He quirked a little smile and tilted his head. Leaning in, she met his lips again. He slipped his hands from her hips, up her back, and pulled her close, so she was wrapped in his embrace. The heat was glorious, and the raging wind wasn’t biting anymore. Their tongues met and Monty tensed under her. Iona ground against him, loving the friction and how into this he was. How much he wanted her… Or Sophie. Sure, he was pretending she was Sophie, but she’d take it, because while she enjoyed hooking up and the physical release that came with it, she missed the emotional connection. She had no faith in lasting relationships, but to experience something close to love was precious. If Monty loved Sophie, then Iona would take this moment and enjoy the love.
‘Remember,’ she panted in between kisses, linking her arms behind his neck. ‘How much you love Sophie. Show her. Don’t hold back.’
He made a funny little noise in his throat, almost like he was scoffing at the idea of loving Sophie, then he pulled her even closer, devouring her lips, until she thought she might pass out. She was on the verge of suggesting they threw caution – and their clothes – to the wind, when good sense kicked in. The only remaining piece in her love-drugged brain. This beach might be out of the way, but boats passed here, and she didn’t fancy getting caught indecently by a whole boatload of people.
He pulled back slightly, his breath short. ‘It’s getting a bit stormy. Maybe we should head back.’ He ran his fingertips around her forehead and down her cheek, whisking away several strands of hair that had broken free from her ponytail. ‘Not that I want to stop this, or let you go.’ His grip on her increased a little, and his cold fingertips lingered near her earlobe, the pad of his thumb gently caressing her cheek.
Iona melted from his touch. And his words. Had anyone ever said anything quite so romantic to her? She didn’t think so. He doesn’t want to let me go. And really, she didn’t want him to let her go either. This was far too nice.
‘Quite enjoying your fling now, aren’t you?’ She smirked at him.
‘I am, but I don’t like how windy it is out here.’
‘Yeah, we should go.’ She glanced at the sky, now darkening with heavy clouds. ‘Before we get caught in the rain again.’
‘But you like kissing in the rain, don’t you?’ He gave her a little smile.
She didn’t mind what she kissed him in – or on – at this moment. Rain, sun, whatever, wherever. She just didn’t want it to stop.
‘I do, but probably not so much on a tiny tidal island in a storm.’
‘Yeah, let’s get back.’ He shifted, and she climbed off him, scrambling to her feet. She grabbed the picnic bag, and he lifted the folded rug. They hurried back towards the slipway. Aggressive waves were tossing the little boat up and down. This would be a wild ride back, by the look of things. Thankfully, it was just across the harbour. She wouldn’t risk the open sea in wind like this.
‘Have you still got the wristbands on?’ Iona turned to Monty as they ran down the slipway.
He waggled his arm, showing her his wrist.
‘Cool. In we get.’ She hopped onboard, thrusting out her hand and helping Monty on. Instead of sitting at the back, he followed her to the front as he did up his buoyancy aid.
She started the engine. ‘This looks insane.’
‘I trust you… But should I be worried?’ His eyes met hers and so many unspoken thoughts passed between them.
‘We’ll be fine.’ She steered forward, her hands steady despite the twist in her stomach. Nothing to do with the weather – everything to do with Monty.
The sea was rough, the boat tossed by the waves, but Iona held the course. Monty clung on, his knuckles white but his eyes determined.
‘Hey. We’re good.’ She flashed him a quick smile. ‘I’ve done this a million times.’ Well, slight exaggeration, but as they approached the marina, the waves had already calmed.
‘I can see that. But you know me by now… Adventure isn’t my thing.’
‘We’ll see.’ She winked. ‘I think there’s more to you than meets the eye.’
They reached the jetty, and Iona brought the boat home. She tied it up, checking there were no sharp nails this time, and saw Monty taking off the bands and flexing his wrists.
‘They leave quite a dent, these things.’ He showed her the indents.
‘Well, at least they stopped you going green and throwing up.’ She took them from him and shoved them back into their little box. After chucking the box and the buoyancy aids into one of the compartments, she turned back to Monty and slung her arms around his neck. He tugged her close, pinning her hips to his. With no words needed, they resumed their kiss from the castle.
‘Mmmm,’ Iona moaned. ‘Let’s take this back to the farm, shall we?’
‘Yes.’ He stroked her hair back. ‘Let’s do that.’
‘Your place or mine?’
‘Mine probably.’ His eyes hadn’t left her, and his gaze was so intense, it was like he was examining her. ‘I don’t want to get caught going in or out of your room. The annex is more hidden.’
Iona smirked. It wouldn’t be the first time Catriona had caught someone entering or leaving her room, but she understood. And Monty, of all people. Catriona probably wouldn’t believe it. Not straightlaced Monty. But Iona was gearing up to expose all his hidden depths. Sometimes she went for guys purely on looks and was disappointed. Monty was attractive in a weird kind of way, a handsome nerd-type. But he had a good body from the glimpses she’d caught. And he smelt nice. Maybe that was bizarre, but it meant he had good personal hygiene and that was important. Above all that, he was a good guy. He passed the quality control with flying colours, and she couldn’t wait to extend this kiss into something a lot hotter.
But twenty minutes later, when Iona and Monty pulled up to An Grianan in the car, her heart sank.
‘What’s going on?’ Monty frowned.
A large group of people were milling around the courtyard.
‘It’s people arriving for the festival. They must have got off the plane this afternoon.’
‘Catriona looks a bit stressed.’
‘I hope she hasn’t double booked anyone. She’s letting a few people camp in the field, but these people don’t look like they have tents.’ Iona popped her seatbelt. Catriona was frowning and pointing. Although she was always good with guests, she occasionally lost it with Ruaridh or Alex when she got mad, and steam looked to be coming out of her ears.
‘Iona!’ Catriona waved her over as soon as she got out of the car. ‘Can you come over here?’
Iona glanced at Monty, giving him a helpless look. ‘I need to go.’
Monty adjusted his glasses, his expression neutral. ‘It’s fine. Go help Catriona. I’ll see you some other time when things are quieter.’
Scamp came charging up to them, his tail racing. He jumped around Monty for a few moments. With a vague smile, Monty patted him until Iona took his collar and tugged him back.
‘Settle down,’ she said. Scamp instantly dropped onto his belly. ‘Come on, this way.’ She shooed him back to the group and headed towards Catriona, a chill through her veins. Why had Monty said he would see her some other time? What did that mean? How airy fairy was that? Had he had a mini wake-up call, and this was the end of the fling?
Ah hell. This was so irritating.
Catriona excused herself from a group of people and marched up to Iona, taking her by the arm. ‘People are asking questions I don’t have answers to. Where have you been?’
‘I was taking Monty back to the castle.’
‘Couldn’t that have waited until after the festival? You need to talk to all these people. They want to know everything about wave conditions and god knows what else.’
‘Fine.’ From the corner of her eye, Iona spied Monty making his way towards the annex, keeping his head down. Bugger . She wanted to be in there with him. Images of all sorts of decadent and naughty ideas paraded across her mind. Most of them involved her being naked and sprawled on a bed, her hair spread across the pillows. An equally naked Monty was kissing her, touching her… His tongue was on her lips, her nipples, her lady parts. She was writhing and gripping the sheets. His head was between her legs. Then he was on top of her, inside her… And she was on top of him, bucking her hips, moving faster—
‘Iona.’ Catriona waved her hand in front of her face. ‘Where are you?’
‘What?’ Fuck’s sake . She’d been lost in a very hot daydream.
‘Please talk to the guests about schedules, equipment, rules – everything.’ Catriona tossed up her hands. ‘I can’t handle it on my own. You’re one of the main organisers. You should be here.’
‘Ok, ok. It doesn’t officially start until tomorrow afternoon, so I didn’t expect to be needed for this, did I?’ She marched up to the group. ‘Hey, everyone. I’m Iona, one of the surf instructors on the island. If you have questions about the festival, I’m your person.’
People started talking to her and asking her stuff. Normally this would be right up her street, but she so desperately craved to walk away and go after Monty. It quickly became obvious that wouldn’t be happening anytime soon. Even getting a minute’s peace from these people was going to be impossible.
Ruaridh came over after his shift had finished, and he and Iona walked to the beach with the guests and Scamp. They talked to them about conditions and the best places. Iona kept looking behind, hoping to see Monty following them down, but he didn’t appear. Scamp sniffed around the long grass in the dunes, his head popping up every now and then at something unseen.
Iona didn’t dare go to the annex with all these people about, and with Catriona in such a mood. It wasn’t nice to see her like that, and it only really happened if she got stressed.
So that evening, Iona headed up to bed alone, lying in the cool bedroom with the window open. The annex roof was outside her window and for a while she entertained thoughts of climbing out Romeo and Juliet style, then lowering herself down to the ground. But that was insane. And Monty might not appreciate that. If she’d just got his number, she could message him.
She dragged her quilt over her and huddled in, trying to restart the daydream she’d had earlier, but even that wouldn’t come. Her messy mind was all over the place, jumping from this to that, never catching the wave, or riding it home, always just missing that one thing she wanted.