Chapter Eighteen
Iona
M onty ran a hand through his hair, and Iona watched him take another step back. Any further and he’d trip backwards over some people who were setting up a picnic. After his record with the urn the day they met, she wouldn’t put it past him.
‘Look behind you.’ She nodded her head towards the people, and Monty turned.
‘Oh, right. Thanks.’
What was he doing anyway? He seemed to be trying to get away from her all of a sudden, which was bizarre, as he’d just helped her get rid of the persistent surfer.
‘I, um, I’ll leave you to get on.’
‘What?’ She frowned. ‘I’m just chatting to people and helping them out if I can. You’re welcome to stick around.’
‘I’ll find somewhere to sit. So I don’t get in the way.’ He headed off to a spot near some tufty grass at the edge of the beach. Iona kept her eye on him. Maybe it was her imagination, but he didn’t look quite as weedy as she’d thought him when they first met. But as that was only a week ago, it wasn’t possible that he’d beefed out in such a short time. The clothes he was wearing just accentuated him better… Or maybe she was just looking a little closer.
While she was following his progress, a movement caught the corner of her eye, and she spotted Catriona with Eilidh. The wee girl was giggling as she ran circles around her mum, and Catriona was smiling and laughing too. She took Eilidh’s hands, and they did a funny little twirl together. Iona smiled. They were so cute, and when Catriona let go like that, she looked so young. She’d been forced to grow up fast and Iona sometimes felt like the younger one when she was with her. How nice to see her having fun and able to let go of some of her responsibilities.
‘Iona!’ Eilidh screamed and ran towards Iona. Catriona let go of her daughter’s hand as Eilidh legged it across the beach.
Iona met her and swung her up. Eilidh giggled and squealed. ‘Hey! Are you ready to watch some tricks? I’m on again soon, then I’m done for the day.’
‘I can’t wait to see this,’ Catriona said, catching up with them. ‘We’ve brought snacks and drinks so we can have a picnic after.’
‘That’s amazing, thank you, so much.’ Iona checked the time. ‘It’s later than I thought. I should probably go and get myself ready. I’ll catch you two later.’
Iona waved them goodbye and went to collect her kite surfing equipment. Once she had it all, she headed for the water’s edge. The two guys who’d been pestering her earlier were still hanging about, but she ignored them. If they came near her again, she’d be giving them that kick. Someone whistled and catcalled. Probably one of them, but so what? Once she was out on the water, she’d be invincible.
She adjusted her harness, feeling the tug as she clipped her lines to the kite. A crowd had gathered along the shore. She smiled to herself through a buzzing in her veins. As she walked into the water, the cool waves lapped at her legs.
She waded deeper, until the kite caught the wind, pulling taut against her harness. She let it lift; the canopy rose into the sky. With a deep breath, she swallowed the swooping sensation in her tummy as the wind tugged her forward.
Her body moved instinctively at the right moment, and she launched herself onto the board. No one could teach this. You either had it or you didn’t. The people who could do it were intuitive and had a bond with the elements, wind and water working together. The kite caught the wind, propelling her forward with a surge of speed. Iona’s heart raced, and she wanted to laugh. The water sprayed up around her, sparkling in the sunlight as she skimmed across the surface.
Carving through the waves, she leaned back, lifting the nose of the board and launching into the air. For a moment, she was weightless, suspended between sky and sea. The thrill of the jump coursed through her with a rush of pure adrenaline.
As she descended, the board kissed the water’s surface, and she adjusted her stance, preparing for the next manoeuvre. The feeling of freedom, and the way the kite responded to her, was awesome, like dancing with nature.
She executed a series of turns and jumps. Cheers and applause came from the shore, intermittently filtering into her hearing alongside the whoosh of the wind and constant thud of the waves. The crowd’s excitement fuelled her own, pushing her to go higher, faster. She looped the kite, feeling the pull increase as she soared above the waves once more.
The wind whipped through her hair, and she let out a whoop, the sound lost to the roar of the ocean.
As the demo drew to a close, she steered back towards the shore, riding the final wave with a flourish. She let the kite slowly descend, bringing herself to a gentle stop in the shallows. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause.
Iona unclipped her harness and grabbed her board, a wide grin plastered across her face. How could she help it? The feeling was incredible. She waved to the spectators, her heart still pounding. Walking up the beach, she was met with high-fives and congratulatory pats on the back. She soaked it all in, the sense of accomplishment mingling with the lingering thrill of the ride. Nothing in her career had ever rivalled this. This was her job and her life now. These were the accolades she lived for. Why not accept them and enjoy them? Others might not think this a worthy profession, but right now, it felt better than any other lifestyle she could imagine.
Catriona appeared at her side with Eilidh jumping up and down.
‘That was so cool,’ Eilidh shrieked. ‘You’re the best.’
‘Thank you.’ Iona high-fived her.
‘I don’t know how you do it.’ Catriona patted her on the arm. ‘I was petrified even watching.’
Iona smiled and shook her ponytail. At the back of the crowd, she noticed Monty, sipping a beer, watching her.
Catriona’s gaze drifted towards him too. ‘Is everything alright with you and him?’
‘What? Yeah. Why wouldn’t it be?’
‘No reason. Just me being nosy.’
‘Nothing to see here.’ Iona turned back to her friend with a bright smile. ‘Anyway, I’d better put all this stuff away. I’ll catch up with you later. Save me some food.’
‘There’s plenty.’ Catriona gave her a quick hug. ‘And well done for your part in organising all this. It’s great.’
‘Yeah, it’s turned out pretty good.’ Iona waved and started making her way back to the container. As she made her way up the beach, the two irritating guys were hovering about. What the hell was their problem? Before she reached them, someone said her name.
‘Hey.’ Monty caught up with her. ‘Shall I give you a hand putting that stuff away?’
She smiled. ‘Thanks. I’ve got it but walk up to the container with me. That might help keep those two lechers away. I’m feeling so pumped I might do some damage to their pretty faces as well as their wedding tackle if they try anything.’
‘Ah, yes.’ He huffed out a laugh. ‘And here was me thinking it was that big butch guy who’s with you who was going to scare them off.’
‘Well, him too.’ She winked at him.
They walked towards the container, and Monty looked over at the two guys, who seemed to be deliberately focusing the other way.
‘Iona’s daughter is your number one fan,’ he said. ‘You should have heard her screaming when you were out there.’
‘She’s a sweetie.’
‘Kids are cute. Sophie didn’t want any, but sometimes when I see moments like that, I kind of do.’
Iona smirked. ‘Yeah. I wouldn’t mind a kid like her. I tell you something though, if I ever had kids, they will most certainly not be going to boarding school.’
‘No, I wouldn’t want that either. Not that we’re having them together or anything… I’m just commenting, yeah?’
Iona chuckled and shook her head. ‘Yeah. I worked that out.’
‘I met Catriona’s mum earlier. She thinks I might be related to her.’
‘Oh my god, really? So you might actually have island blood and not be just an invading tourist.’
‘Exactly.’ He winked at her, and she looked away, grinning.
She reached the container and pushed the door open. Monty followed her inside, grabbing the other end of the kite to help stow it away. The distant hum of the festival barely filtered into this cold, dark space.
‘I can’t get over how good you are on that thing.’ Monty adjusted his glasses, his smile almost proud.
Such a sweet guy.
‘The crowd loved it too.’
Iona shrugged. ‘I told you earlier, I love doing it.’
‘Well, you nailed it.’
She lifted a couple of blankets from a shelf. ‘Shall we watch for a bit?’
‘Yeah, why not?’
‘I’ll get changed out of this first. Here.’ She chucked the blankets to him and used the string to pull down the zip on her wetsuit. He cleared his throat and turned away. What a gent. She stepped out of the wetsuit and hung it up. ‘I’ve got a cossie on. You can look. I’m not completely indecent.’
‘Hmm, well… It just doesn’t feel right. I’m not a lecher.’
‘I know that.’ She lifted her Dryrobe and pulled it on. ‘Come on, let’s go.’
He peered around and she held out her hands, waggling her fingers. ‘I’m decent.’
Raising an eyebrow, he looked sideways as if to say I don’t think so , then laughed.
They headed back to the beach and laid out the picnic blanket in a quiet spot near the grass where Monty had been sitting before. No sooner had they sat down than the two annoying guys appeared and sat down not far off.
‘Seriously?’ Iona glared at them before turning to Monty.
‘Do you want to move?’ he asked.
She cast a glance in their direction. One of them was looking back with a smug expression that made her want to march over and slap him. ‘Actually no. I have a better idea.’
Monty put his hand on her arm. ‘If it involves physical violence of any kind, I would advise against it.’ His tone was fake formal, like he was joking, but his eyes were serious.
‘I can’t deny the thought has crossed my mind, but that’s not what I was thinking.’ She shuffled a little closer. ‘How about another lesson in how to be adventurous in love?’
‘Um… yeah? And what’s that?’
‘How to make out on a beach.’
‘With all these people watching?’
She grinned and leaned closer. ‘It’s a festival. Half the people here will be doing it shortly.’
He let out a huff that was partway between a laugh and a scoff. ‘So, when in Rome…’
‘Exactly. And it’ll give those two something to stare at.’
‘Ok.’ He took off his glasses and placed them on the rug beside him.
Iona’s pulse spiked. What the hell? But something about the movement was so deliberate. So calculated. He meant business.
She’d expected to make the first move, but he raised his hand and ran his warm fingertips over her cheek before cupping it. ‘It’s an honour to kiss someone like you.’
‘What?’ She couldn’t move. Her eyes were fixed on his, his hazel irises darkened by his almost blown-out pupils.
‘You’re just so… So incredibly talented, spirited and buzzing with energy. So fearless. It’s inspiring, and it’s a privilege to get to do this with someone like you.’ He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, so soft and unassuming, just like him. She returned it, relaxing into the warmth. He ran his fingers from her cheeks into her hair, cradling her head, deepening the kiss. Their tongues touched and sharp bolts of lust shocked Iona. The sounds of the beach faded, and it was just them, the taste of salt on his lips and the warmth of his body. She reached up, sliding her fingers around his jaw, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. There was no great hurry. The intensity was rich and decadent, something to be savoured. The growing urge to take this somewhere else was ever present, but not so much that Iona wanted to call a halt to this moment. She couldn’t recall a kiss ever having this effect on her before.
‘Well, this is educational,’ Monty murmured against her lips.
‘I’m not sure why you ever thought you needed practise at this. You’re already bloody epic.’
‘You think?’
‘I know. That was some kiss.’
She glanced over his shoulder. The two guys were still flicking them a look here and there, but they seemed to be searching elsewhere too. Perhaps looking for someone to hook up with.
Well, it won’t be me.
Once upon a time, she might have been open to the idea, but right now there was only one man she wanted to go home with. The one whose arms were around her.
Pulling back slightly, she smiled up at him. ‘You’re a quick learner.’
Monty raised an eyebrow and stroked the loose hairs from her forehead. ‘I think I might have missed some of the finer points. Maybe a little more practice is needed.’
‘Ah… Ok. Then try this.’ She lay back, leaning on one arm, and patting the blanket behind him with the other. ‘Lie down.’
‘Yes, Miss.’ He lay alongside her, and she shuffled right in close. For a moment, they just looked at each other. Monty stroked the hair from her face. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before. In films, people did this kind of thing after sex, but she didn’t recall anything like that. This was all meant to be pretend… Practice for Monty. Why then was her heart racing so fast?
When his lips touched hers again, she closed her eyes. Warmth and a deep sense of contentment flooded her system. She was drowning in his kisses, but it wasn’t scary. It was perfect.
Iona pulled back eventually. ‘Catriona and Eilidh have food for me. I could go and nab some and bring it over.’
‘Don’t you want to sit with them? I can keep out of it.’
‘Catriona won’t mind. I saw her when we came out of the container with some of the school mums and Eilidh was building a sandcastle with some friends.’
‘Well, if you’re sure.’
‘I am.’ Iona headed over to Catriona and got some food. Catriona was chatting to some friends, but Iona knew she had questions – thankfully none she could currently vocalise.
Catriona’s food was always delicious and once Iona had got it back to the blanket, she and Monty made short work of it.
The long summer’s day meant the daylight held on until late, and Iona watched the goings on with Monty.
‘Shall we go back?’ she said eventually, noticing several people leaving.
‘Where to?’
Iona looked him up and down. ‘The annex? Together?’
Monty almost leapt to his feet, and they put away the blankets, then made their way up the track back to An Grianan.
As soon as they got back to the annex, Monty pulled her close, kissing her like there was no tomorrow. He sunk deeper into the kiss, and his tongue dipped in and out of her mouth. His hips rocked against hers in a rhythmic motion, and her blood boiled, soaring through her veins like rocket fuel – similar to the rush she got kite surfing, only this time the heat pooled between her thighs, and her body coiled with need.
He most definitely didn’t feel like a gentleman now. He was all sin and wickedness.
Desperate to touch him, to run her hands over his chest, she began to lift up his shirt, but his hand gently caught her wrist, staying her.
‘Not yet.’ He took off his glasses, and his hazel eyes bored into hers. ‘Let’s not be hasty.’ His gaze, hot and intense, travelled down her body, then returned to meet hers again.
‘Hasty? Are you serious?’
‘Very.’ He smoothed her hair off her face. ‘Do you ever take out the ponytail?’
‘Sure.’ She dragged out the elastic and shook the wild mass free. It was windswept from the day at the beach and probably looked like she’d stuck her finger in a socket, but the way he was eyeing her made her breath hitch.
‘You really are beautiful.’
She quirked a little smile. ‘I feel like a complete mess.’ She tugged the ends of her hair and held them wide.
‘It’s just you. Wild and free.’ He smiled. ‘I have to thank you.’
‘What for?’
‘For letting me do this with you.’
‘Monty.’
‘I mean it. I really do.’
She stared at him, not sure what to make of any of this.
‘Now…’ He stroked her hair from her forehead. ‘May I touch you? I’d like to kiss every inch of you.’
She mouthed something inaudible before finding words. ‘Ok, um, sure. You go ahead. That sounds… awesome.’ She sucked the inside of her lip. She hadn’t expected him to say anything quite so bold.
He tilted her chin, lifting it so she was looking at him. ‘You sure?’
‘Of course, but remember…’
‘Remember what?’
‘Make it authentic. Don’t hold back.’
‘Ok.’ His lips settled over hers again, gentle but firm, the way he always started off. Those languorous, thoughtful kisses that made her stomach clench and the ache between her thighs burn. ‘I want you so badly.’
Her heart hammered. This was still an act, right? Sophie and all that. Yeah. Course it was… It bloody had to be. But she’d play along. It was too good not to. ‘I want you too.’
A smile swept across his face. ‘Music to my ears.’ Still smiling, he unzipped her Dryrobe. She shuffled out of it, so it pooled at her feet, and she stood before him in her two-piece cossie. His eyes raked over her. ‘So strong. So fit. A real athlete.’
‘Not really. I just like being active.’
‘You look great.’ He tugged her towards him, pinning her hips against his, clear evidence of his desire pressing hard against her. ‘Utterly gorgeous, in fact.’ He kissed down her neck, his hands snaking over her back. She threw back her head, almost dizzy, as his soft kisses caught her exposed throat. Normally, she wouldn’t let anyone kiss her there. Too intimate. And it made her too vulnerable. Still holding her, he gently backed her towards the bed, then nudged her down. She lay back, and he moved in beside her, peeling off her cossie top and discarding it. His hands reached to cup her breasts. ‘Beautiful.’ He dipped in to kiss her again, this time toying with her nipples. Then he shifted to suck and nibble them until she let out a moan and clutched at the duvet.
‘Monty, please,’ she panted. ‘I can’t wait. I need you.’ She made a play for his shirt, but he pulled away, moving down and tugging off the bottom half of her cossie.
‘Why rush?’ he murmured, his breath hot against her stomach as his kisses headed south. ‘Is there somewhere else you need to be?’
‘Definitely not.’ Gentleman Monty had officially left the building, and a hot-blooded man had taken his place. One who needed no practice. What he was doing with his hands and his mouth was perfectly acceptable… in fact, far exceeded expectations. ‘Oh god.’ An A-plus performance if ever there was one. Her insides tightened, and she groaned. ‘Oh Monty.’
‘That’s my name. I can spell it out for you.’
‘Oh… Bloody hell.’
His tongue did the job until she was a writhing, gasping mess. A dam of pleasure burst open, and she panted, her eyes rolling. ‘You fucking hot bastard.’ She lay back, trying to catch her breath. ‘I think you lied. You don’t need practice at all.’
He shifted up beside her and stroked her hair. ‘I’ve never been this brave before. I told you, you’re inspiring. And you told me to be authentic. This is how I want to be. Thank you… Again.’
‘Thank me? Why the hell do you want to thank me? After what you just did?’
‘For letting me be me.’
‘That’s the only you I want.’
He laughed softly. ‘That’s sweet.’
‘Unfortunately, I have bad news for you.’
‘You do?’ He frowned.
‘Yes, sadly, you have a major fault. You’re wearing too many clothes.’
‘Is that all?’ He levered himself up and onto his feet. ‘Let’s get them off then.’ He stripped off his shorts and t-shirt rather matter-of-factly before opening a bag on the window seat and pulling out a foil packet. ‘I even braved buying these in the village shop.’
She laughed. ‘Does it bother you that much?’
‘Yeah. I normally either get them online or use the self-scan in Tesco and hope I don’t get flagged for a basket check.’
‘Seriously? You’re so funny. But before you put that on. Come here.’
‘Why?’
‘Let me have a turn to play. Lie down.’
‘Um… Ok.’ He moved back onto the bed. Now it was her turn to drink him in.
She ran her hands over his taut pecs and the hard ridges of his stomach. ‘Monty, Monty. You’ve been hiding the goods.’
‘Really?’ He clenched his jaw as her fingers brushed over his dusting of chest hair. When she leaned in and kissed her way across his pecs, he said through gritted teeth, ‘Please don’t. I can’t hold on much longer.’ He had his eyes closed and Iona smiled.
‘But there’s so much more to explore.’ Reaching inside his boxer briefs, she ran her hand over him. ‘Impressive.’
With what was almost a growl, he reached for her hand. ‘Stop.’ He shoved off his boxer briefs, ripped open the condom packet, and rolled it on. Then he flipped her over and kissed her. ‘I need you like this.’ He moved in between her thighs. ‘Ready?’
‘Very.’
Slowly, he sank into her.
Her breath hitched and her toes curled.
‘Fuck,’ he said hoarsely, his hazel eyes still dark but with an almost dreamy look. ‘You feel so good.’
She swallowed. Emotion from deep within soared through her like a raging swell in the sea; she could either let it engulf her, or she could ride it out. And like the surfer she was, that was exactly what she had to do. This was just an arrangement. He’d be gone by this time next week. He began to move, bringing them higher and closer together. His eyes locked unblinkingly with hers, so intensely she couldn’t look away. Her heart swelled.
‘Iona.’ His husky voice was thick with emotion. And it was her name, he’d said. Not Sophie. Iona…
Me. It’s me.
He wasn’t pretending she was someone else. The storm gathered inside her and she hung on to his gaze as the world shifted around her. Pleasurable waves sent her flying high and her whole body shuddered with the force of her climax. With a grunt, Monty stiffened. ‘Oh, Iona. Iona. Iona.’ He collapsed on top of her. She held him close, and the heat of his skin warmed her to the core. Her palms stuck to the faint layer of sweat on his back and his shoulder blades.
Please don’t move. Don’t go. Stay with me.
But he wasn’t going to do that. In a week’s time, it might be Sophie lying like this, holding onto him, feeling a swell of love in her heart. Iona shut her eyes, her arms tightening around him. Love? Oh, good god no. It couldn’t be love, could it?