Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Claire
What the hell is happening?
Once again, I feel as though events are careering out of control. It seems to be my constant state of being since I met Bryce. Hard to believe it’s only been a week. He has turned my world completely upside down.
But as he swings me up in his arms, kissing me, all I can do is hang on and enjoy the ride.
It’s almost a relief when he has to relinquish me, a queue already starting to form at the table. I stand off to the side for a little while with Jeff, his agent, who seems nice enough. He’s busy posting photos of us to Bryce’s socials, so I’m free to watch what’s going on.
And once again I’m taken with how kind Bryce seems to be, taking time with each person, each smile sincere.
He spends extra time with a small boy who is overcome, joking with him and talking to him gently until he’s laughing, pretending to ride a wave with him.
Emotion bursts in my chest, and I try to push it down.
I fell too hard, too fast last time. I can’t make the same mistake again.
But again, there’s that feeling of destiny, of things happening because they can’t happen any other way, no matter how I might try to guard myself against it.
I like Bryce. A lot.
And I want to kiss him. Again. Somewhere where there aren’t people watching us, where it isn’t for a camera, for “appearances”. I sigh. I’m sure he’d be happy to go along with that, but how would l know whether or not it meant anything to him?
What does it matter? A more treacherous part of my mind rears its head – the part of me that makes my heart beat faster whenever he touches me. It’s been almost a year, this part of my mind whispers. You could do a lot worse than Bryce Maylands.
Yeah, I could. But I need to tread carefully.
This is a relationship with an expiry date, and a purpose.
He acts as a buffer against Simon and his nonsense and I make him look good for the cameras.
Kissing, or anything else, is just part of the transaction.
I can’t fall for him and get hurt again. I need to protect myself.
I touch Jeff on the arm. “I’m going for a wander,” I say, finding I need some space from it all.
He nods. “Be back by twelve.”
I make my way out of the store, ignoring the envious glances the staff throw my way.
Outside there are more people waiting. The word that Bryce is here seems to have spread.
It’s a strange feeling to know that they’re all waiting to meet him.
And a couple of nights ago we were in a hotel suite together, alone.
I want to be alone with him again. Just the two of us. No pretending.
I try not to think about what that means as I wander around the shops, all the time wondering what he’s doing, whether some other girl’s hands are on him, and then telling myself it’s none of my business because a) this is part of his job and b) he’s not my real boyfriend.
I buy myself a new swimsuit in one of the stores, a bikini, far more robust than the white one I wore while swimming, even though I don’t know whether or not we’ll go out swimming again.
It doesn’t stop me looking at the rash tops, though, but I can’t find one I like.
I liked the one Bryce loaned me, actually.
It was navy, with a pattern of turquoise palm leaves down one side.
I check the time and realise it’s almost twelve.
I need to get back. I’ll see if they have a similar one in the Ocean’s Curl store.
But when I get back there, Bryce, after sweeping me into a hug that leaves me weak with desire, hands me something.
“Saw this and thought of you,” he says, with a grin.
It’s a rash top, even nicer than the one he loaned me. It’s deep green with a pattern like pale green vines down one side of the torso, a single curling vine pattern around the high neck.
“Really?” I smile at him.
“Really.” His voice deepens and he comes closer, so close his body is almost touching mine.
He pushes a lock of hair back from my cheek, then bends his head.
His lips meet mine, and he’s kissing me again.
My arms come around his waist and I press myself to him, opening my mouth, tangling my tongue with his.
When we come apart, we gaze at each other.
I’m dazed, my head spinning. Strangely, he seems the same, his green eyes darker and hooded, his full lips swollen with my kisses.
I want to bite them, want to slide my hands under his shirt and lower, but I restrain myself.
I know he said to do what feels natural, but that might be pushing it.
“Er, shall we get lunch? I know they’re expecting you next door.” This is Jeff. He’s looking at us strangely. I guess he’s wondering why we’re making a fake relationship look so real.
The really tough part is that it’s starting to feel real.
Bryce
I can’t keep my hands off her.
I know I’m supposed to be playing this cool, taking things slow.
Kylie’s words echo through my head, as though she’s one of those little angel or demon figures that hang around your shoulders, telling you what to do.
You’d better not mess her around. But being near Claire makes me want to pull her closer, as though we really were going out.
She watches me during my appearance, and even though I know I’m supposed to be focusing on the people who’ve come to see me, I’m hyper aware of her. The way she smiles when I’m joking around with the little kids, the way she watches me as though she’s trying to figure me out.
I’m trying to figure her out as well.
I notice when she taps Jeff on his arm, saying something to him. And when she leaves, it’s as though she takes a little of the brightness with her.
Fucking hell.
I try to stick to the task at hand; I don’t mind meeting people, having a chat, like that guy in Short Arm this morning.
Surfing crew are usually pretty chill people.
Sure, there are more than a few women here who get a bit handsy, but I can deal with that.
They get their photo, get a kiss on the cheek, and then they’re gone.
Doesn’t cost me much and means a lot to them.
I’m playing nice, just like the sponsors, and Jeff, want me to. And honestly, it’s not that difficult.
Things are starting to wind down, and there’s still no sign of Claire.
Fuck. I hope she hasn’t decided to bail on me, though she doesn’t seem the type.
There are still a few pieces of Ocean’s Curl merchandise on the table in front of me, and I spot a deep green rash top that would look perfect on her, with her golden skin and dark hair.
I pull it from the pile and check the size.
It seems about right. But then it makes me think of how she looked in the water when we went swimming, my top clinging to her curves, and how her bikini had become slightly transparent.
This is going to be a long month.
“Bryce?”
Relief washes through me as I look up and see her standing there, holding a shopping bag. I get up from the table and, unable to help it, sweep her into a hug. I know, I can put it down to keeping up appearances, but the reality is that I’m overwhelmingly fucking glad to see her.
I hand her the rash top and those ocean blue eyes light up.
And again I can’t help it, I plant one on her, pulling her close against me.
She responds, her mouth opening, her tongue tangling with mine, and it’s so fucking sweet I don’t want it to end.
When it does, we stare at each other as though we’re the only two people in the place.
Then Jeff, bless his heart, clears his throat, breaking the spell.
“Shall we get lunch?”
As I shepherd her across the car park to the Ocean’s Curl offices, one hand at the small of her back, I realise Jeff didn’t break anything at all.
That spark I felt the first time I saw Claire has ignited into a flame, and I don’t know how I’m going to manage it.
Maybe she feels the same way. But mindful of the fact she’s dealing with a whole lot of shit, including a stalker ex, I don’t want to push things.
If anything is going to happen, it needs to happen naturally.
It’s cool inside the glossy lobby of the Ocean’s Curl offices.
A curving desk sits on acres of tiled floor, a huge video screen on the wall behind it playing clips of surfers around the world, including some of their Sand Stars, up-and-coming surfers sponsored by the company.
I catch a glimpse of myself surfing Teahupo’o, riding the endless blue waves of Tahiti.
A fucking incredible spot to surf. I want to take Claire there, want to watch the wonder on her face as she sees the beauty of the place.
I want to take her everywhere, I realise, show her the world.
My phone buzzes in my pocket a couple of times.
I pull it out as we cross the lobby. I know Myles won’t be here; he lives in London most of the time, so I’m not expecting to see him today.
Lexie Richards, the Aussie head of marketing, is here, beckoning us through a set of double doors leading to the offices beyond.
I glance at the notifications and my heart sinks. Oh no.
I stop. Claire stops as well, turning to me. “Is everything okay?”
I guess my face is giving things away. “It’s fine,” I say, mustering a smile. “You go on with Jeff. I just need to make a quick call. See you in a sec.”
Jeff gives me a look. I’m pretty sure he realises what’s going on. “Yeah.” He takes over from me, ushering Claire away. “We’ll see you in there.”
But as she disappears through the double doors, I want to pull her back, want her here with me as I deal with this. I don’t want to load any of my shit on her, though. She has enough going on in her life without dealing with my stuff as well.
With a heavy heart, I scroll through my phone until I find the number I need, then hit “dial”.
It rings a few times, then goes to voicemail. Fuck. I hate leaving messages. I take in a deep breath.
“Hey, mum. It’s me.”
I can’t get hold of Millie.
Six words. That’s all mum wrote in her text message, but each one stabbed me in the heart.
“Where is she?” I say, as though mum’s messaging service might hold the answer. “Where’s Millie? Please don’t tell me she’s gone back to him again.”