Chapter 12
TWELVE
CALEB
I’m not looking forward to this wedding at all, but thankfully it’s the last uncomfortable thing Ariella and I have to do before we can leave Melissa in the past for good. We haven’t talked much since she went out with Dominic and unusually, absolutely no evidence that it happened showed up online. It made me yearn for the days they were plastered together everywhere, because then at least I knew what was going on.
It doesn’t help that Samir has me in front of clients most nights, setting up the deals for me to close. Between that, mentoring the two new sales guys I hired and pinching Bree from the project team to join sales, work has been relentless. Ariella has spent most of the time buried in the back corner of the office, working hard and late to deliver the new projects we have coming in. She has been so busy, she hasn’t managed to spend much time with?—
‘What are you roaming around with a face like a slapped arse for?’ Lara asks, lifting her head from my laptop. She has been staying here since she arrived a couple of weeks ago. She refuses to move in with Ariella because of one obvious reason called Honey. Not that she’s admitting it. ‘You’ve got the afternoon off from your paying job, Ariella can’t escape you for the next few days and you somehow haven’t been arrested for Melissa’s crimes. Not yet anyway.’
‘Have you packed? Honey and Aari will be here soon.’
‘Yup, and I have my elevator pitch ready. I can’t wait. Someone at the wedding is bound to give me a job.’
‘Feel free to unleash your full “Lara” on Dominic while you’re at it.’
‘Ah, you’re still stewing over the no-more-kissy-but-these-two-are-desperate-to-jump-each-other’s-bones vibes. You’ve got to admit, they do have an insane chemistry.’
‘Thanks for rubbing it in, Lara.’
‘It’s true though. Frankly, you’re getting off much more lightly than you deserve. If I was Ariella, I’d be snogging him up and down Marina Bay just to stick it to you.’
‘You really think I deserve that?’
‘I know Aari deserved the truth but all you did was lie. And then when she tried to do you both a favour and end it?—’
Thankfully the doorbell cuts Lara short. I dash to get it.
‘Bloody hell, Caleb, you’re so fucking desperate,’ she calls after me.
‘Hi! Am I too early?’ Honey asks, dragging her suitcase behind her.
‘No, not at all.’ I take her suitcase from her and wheel it in.
‘Hi, Honey.’ Lara smiles warmly towards her.
‘Hi! What are you doing?’ Honey asks, bouncing over to Lara to see what she’s working on. She’s soft and playful around Lara. You wouldn’t think she was kicking my butt for a full hour every morning without breaking a sweat. It’s cute.
‘Just giving Caleb some home truths. Like I was saying, she tried to do you both a favour and end it, to put a stop to both your miseries, but you wouldn’t let her. Instead you dragged her into limbo with you. Now neither of you can move forward, and we both know you sure as hell can’t go back.’
‘What was I supposed to do? Get dumped and not fight it?’
‘Yes. What’s that saying everyone knows about freeing the bird you love and it flying away…’
‘“If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they’re yours; if they don’t they never were.” Richard Bach,’ Honey fills in.
‘See? Not only can Honey kick your ass, she’s smarter than you too! Thanks, Hunbun.’ Lara reaches her arm out and pulls a happy-looking Honey into a quick side hug.
‘Hunbun?’ I ask, fighting a smile.
‘What? She likes pork buns. So? You know what? Honey? Kick his arse.’ Lara points at me.
‘Caleb, please can I grab a drink?’ Honey asks, laughing, as she walks to my kitchen. She doesn’t even acknowledge Lara. It seems Honey Kohli is the one person on the face of the planet who actually doesn’t react viscerally to Lara. Interesting.
‘I’m not letting her go, Lara.’
‘Is there someone paying you a shit-ton of money to invent new kinds of stupid? That’s exactly what you should do.’
‘I’m not letting Dominic Miller win.’
‘Not that she’s a prize or some object to be owned, but, newsflash, carry on like this and Dominic Miller will win. You think that she’s going to choose him over you because he’s rich and hot and whisks her off to private islands on his bloody cruise ship. She already lived that urban myth with Jasper and, as we both agree, he’s the budget version. Maybe normal human beings, like me, will quite happily turn off our natural revulsion for the penis and sleep with him for a job at this point, but not Ariella.’
‘I know that.’
‘Do you? Because you being threatened by his existence is him winning. Every time you act a fool because social media isn’t letting you spy on them like you normally would, you let her know that he is winning too. Want to know what winning looks like? Release Aari from this ridiculous pact, watch her dance around Dominic Miller and eventually fly her lovable but stupid Stockholm Syndromed arse back to you.’
‘That, you don’t know.’
‘Fucking hell. Everyone knows that. Even Dominic Miller! That’s why I don’t have a job. If he thought for one second that I could influence Aari his way, I’d be Chief Something Officer of Something by now. The guy felt he had to buy her a whole bloody company just so he could have her around for two years. He’s struggling,’ Lara exclaims, raising her hands in the air.
‘What’s going on between you two does feel intensely deep, Caleb,’ Honey chimes in.
‘Exactly! And Honey has only known you for five minutes. No offence, Hunbun.’
Honey waves Lara’s comment away light-heartedly.
‘Let’s lay off Caleb for a little bit, Lara,’ Honey says softly, returning to her side. Lara is not going to like that. No one tells Lara what to do. I brace myself for what’s coming.
She turns to Honey. ‘Fine. Oooh, want to hear my elevator pitch? It’s very good.’
‘Sure!’ Honey pulls up a bar stool.
‘So, after I’m all nice and interested in whatever crap they are telling me about themselves and their jobs, I thought I’d start with…’
The bell goes again, I open the door and there she is.
‘Hi.’ She smiles that smile that makes my heart stop. I instinctively pull her into a hug and she in turn wraps herself around me. The images in my head of her and Dominic disappear instantly. Maybe Lara is right, but it’s not a theory I want to test.
‘No one should be hugging their ex-boyfriend like that,’ Lara complains from behind me. ‘I’m your date. I should be the one getting the borderline inappropriate hugs.’
‘You and Honey are already here?’ Aari asks as she drops me and heads, arms wide open, to Lara.
‘I live here,’ Lara clarifies, and she pulls her best friend in for a hug.
‘No, you do not live here, you freeload here.’
‘Same difference.’
‘Hi, Honey.’ Aari offers a friendly wave. ‘Are you all ready? The car is waiting.’
We pile into the car, chatting excitedly as we fill Honey in on the wedding and why we are bound to go. Lara kindly leaves out any implicating details. When we arrive at the airstrip to join a horde of other guests, we are all in a great mood and looking forward to the long weekend away. As we make our way slowly through check-in, Lara starts identifying potential employers while I am stuck beating off people who want to say hello to or take a picture with Honey.
‘I knew you were a big deal, but not this big a deal,’ Lara comments.
‘Yes, you can use my popularity to secure employment, Lara, if you must.’ Honey anticipates Lara’s next question.
‘Nah, I only save that for people I don’t like. Like Caleb. And sometimes Ariella when she’s being naughty.’
‘Wait. What?’ Ariella turns round to give Lara a shocked look, making us all laugh.
If things stay like this, it’s going to be a great weekend, as long as we stick together. It’ll be even more fun when Ruby, Eden, Bryce, Lydia, Bree, Jess, Sian and Akiko join us tomorrow.
Finally we get called to our private jet, and as we board the very first person we see is Dominic. Of all the eight-seater jets in all the world. I try to get ahead of it.
‘Hey, Dominic. Good to see you slumming it like the rest of us, eh? I bet your pilots are pleased they got the day off.’ I extend my hand. If he doesn’t take it, he’ll be the dick, not me. Unfortunately, he does.
‘Actually, this is my plane. I donated it because I figured you guys might want to fly with someone you know rather than a whole bunch of people you don’t.’
Bastard.
‘Thank you, Dominic, that’s very kind.’ Aari steps forward for him to give her a kiss on the cheek.
‘Dominic,’ Lara squeals, and his smarmy look disappears and is instantly replaced with utter fright. I fucking love Lara Scott.
‘Lara?’
‘Yes! Good to finally meet you properly. I’ve been trying to get your attention.’ Lara immediately takes the seat opposite him.
‘Hi, Dominic, thanks.’ Honey quietly acknowledges him before walking to her seat. Ariella and I take seats opposite each other, much to my delight, but as soon as she is settled she pulls out her laptop and starts to type away.
Dominic doesn’t get to move the entire ninety-minute flight. Lara keeps him occupied, finding out about his business, asking questions, making him laugh, selling herself and being the most charming I’ve ever seen anyone be. By the time we land, she has not one, but two interviews lined up with DMVI. Dominic helps with her bags, walking right alongside her through immigration, customs and arrivals, deeply engrossed in their conversation.
It’s a short car journey through beautifully colourful tropical vegetation to Melissa’s wedding resort, where she has taken over the property for the weekend. I enjoy the warm, breezy air from our open-top jeep as I admire the breathtaking sea views that are the omnipresent backdrop as we travel to our destination. When we arrive, we are separated from Dominic after we check in and a white buggy whizzes us to our two-bedroom villa.
‘I’m switching allegiances. Dominic is far more useful.’ Lara sighs and flops on the large soft couch in our villa’s living area.
‘I’m not surprised, Lara,’ I say, giving her a dirty look. All she does is snigger and stretch on the couch.
‘Right. Sleeping arrangements. I refuse to be complicit in any shenanigans, so, Honey, want to share the twin upstairs with me?’
‘Sure.’ She shrugs.
‘I’ll take the couch,’ I volunteer.
‘None of us were born yesterday. Unless you do something incredibly stupid, which I won’t put past you, Caleb, there’ll probably be some drunken sneaking around later. I saw the way you two hugged each other. I want to be far away from that,’ she says, pointing at Aari and me.
‘There will be no sneaking around, Lara,’ I confirm, and make my point by calling the front desk to request that the couch be converted into a bed while we’re at the pre-wedding cocktail evening.
‘And my creepy uncle is a priest. Come on, Honey, let’s settle in!’ Lara drags Honey behind her as they make their way up the stairs.
‘Do you think they are…’ I whisper to Aari.
‘No. Lara would have told me. But they like each other. That much is obvious,’ Aari whispers back conspiratorially.
‘She made Lara back off me earlier by just asking her to.’
We both laugh.
‘Come on, let’s put your stuff in my room,’ Aari offers. ‘If you need to shower, it might be best to do that now. I have some work to do before Ruby and Eden get here to make me magazine and social media ready.’
‘I thought we got rid of them?’
‘We did, but Melissa wants everyone looking beautiful for her wedding and I can’t be trusted to deliver on the homework. They’re here in the morning too.’ Aari rolls her eyes.
I take her up on her offer and indulge in the massive cut-out spa shower. When I emerge, I hear her declining pre-drinks in Dominic Miller’s villa, citing Eden and Ruby’s anticipated assault, and I’ve never been more grateful for those two.
When Ariella and Lara step into the garden cocktail reception, it feels like the whole party stops for a few seconds. Ariella is draped in a long, light and wispy flowing orange dress that moves and shifts with the wind, exposing large but safe parts of her glowing skin while reflecting the colours of the sunset.
‘You’re in trouble tonight,’ Honey whispers to me as we watch them both approach us.
Lara has been put in a daringly low-cut, long, green leaf-patterned dress cut right up to the top of her thigh and cinched at the waist to expose her killer legs and accentuate her unbelievable curves.
‘Not as much trouble as you’re going to be in when Lara starts casing the party for a job,’ I whisper back. ‘Ariella is stunning tonight, but if I was any of these guys I’d want to take Lara anywhere she’d like, and give her anything she wants, regardless of the consequences. I’d risk it all.’
Honey takes a possessive step forward.
‘Careful,’ I warn under my breath. She steps back to wait patiently for them to get to us.
‘I swear, if someone doesn’t hire me tonight on the slight suggestion that there is a minuscule chance that I might sleep with them, I’m going to be pissed off. These fucking control knickers are killing me. You’re all on employment duty. I want the ones that will hire me and forget that they created a role for me. I’m thinking, old and healthy,’ Lara declares quietly, grabbing a glass of champagne as it glides past.
‘I’m not sure I’ll make it to “later” to sneak around, Mason,’ I whisper in her ear.
‘You may not be the one doing the sneaking. You look sexy tonight.’ She arches an eyebrow at me. Holy fuck.
‘Ariella! You look phenomenal.’ Dominic approaches. ‘If you’ll excuse us, there’s someone from a charity that the Conscious Experience app supports here. She’d like to meet you.’ With that, Dominic whisks her off, and it’s the last I see of Ariella all night.
By eleven, I’ve met all the contacts I had on my hit list. When Dominic asks if I’ve seen Ariella because there’s yet another person he wants to introduce her to, I know exactly where she’ll be. I slip some Singaporean dollars to a waitress I’ve been exchanging nods with all evening, and ask for a favour before I head back to the villa. I find her exactly where I expected to; sitting on the couch in the living room, laptop in lap, fresh from a shower with wet hair, a bare face, in some loose shorts and a vest. Braless. Shit.
‘Had enough?’ I ask, plopping down beside her.
‘Yeah. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.’
‘Where are Lara and Honey?’
‘No idea.’ She sniggers and her breasts jiggle. Bloody hell. Hold it together, Caleb.
‘I hope those two get it together. How they haven’t already is beyond me.’
‘Honey has a lot to lose and Lara doesn’t. I can see why Honey is being particularly cautious, especially in her…cultural climate.’
‘She could at the very least tell her.’
‘Have you met my best friend, Lara? She’ll have Honey convinced that it’s fine to sing it from the rooftops. Singing it, however, could cost her more than her livelihood, belts and endorsements. Honey needs time and space to adjust – if she wants to…’
‘I’m not sure I can take much more of the fake-boyfriend thing, Aari. I’m getting to a place where?—’
The villa bell chimes.
‘I’ll get it.’
I open the door to my tittering waitress, who is carrying a platter of food enough to feed ten. She has also recruited a friend to bring over some cutlery, crockery, water, sake and red wine. I let them set up on the coffee table and, when they are done, I tip them heavily. The look of surprise and gratitude on Ariella’s face makes me feel like I’ve done a good job. Yes. That look is exactly what I was hoping for.
‘You can never eat at these things and it wouldn’t surprise me if room service has been shut down for the night, so…’
‘Thank you, Caleb, I’m starving.’
She lifts two plates from the stack and pairs each of them with chopsticks and a napkin before she invites me to dip in first.
‘Nah, I might have a nibble but I stuffed my face tonight. Especially with those.’ I point to a mini platter of smoked beetroot tarts and she dives in immediately.
‘Sake or red?’ I ask, pouring us both some water.
‘I’m a little warm, so water is great, but if you pick I’ll join you?’
I put the sake in the fridge to cool for tomorrow and open the red. When she is comfortable and eating, I dive in.
‘So how are you surviving Samir?’
‘Well, he keeps me busy. I’m learning a lot from him and it’s all useful, but I can’t wait to leave Singapore.’
‘I’m on the same page, Aari. I’m doing my time and then I’m out too.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes. Really,’ I confirm.
‘What are you going to do afterwards?’
‘I haven’t really thought about that. I suppose I might be stuck too. I miss teaching the boys but Phillip does a much better job. Maybe I could go back to supporting him in some capacity?’
‘You could, and you’d love it.’
‘We should have more conversations like this. It’s nice to know what you’re thinking.’ I poke her in the ribs, making her jump.
‘We should. You’re doing so well, Caleb. I thought you’d want to stay.’
‘I can’t wait to leave, but I’m not going without you, Aari. Whenever and wherever you’re going, I’m coming too. It’s that simple for m?—’
Ariella’s mouth is on mine and she is climbing on top of me before I finish. She just fits. My mouth opens up to receive her while my tongue searches hungrily for hers. I inhale her exhales as she does mine, and nothing else matters.
‘I forgive you, Caleb,’ she whispers. ‘Do you forgive me?’
She places her open mouth on mine once again as she grinds down on me. How could I not? This is not going to end with me being decent. I’m past that point.
‘Ariella Mason, I am going to take your clothes off and?—’
‘Disgusting! I knew it! Both of you are— Ooh, food, I’m ravenous.’ Lara and Honey walk through the door. ‘Shift!’ Lara demands as she pulls at the control shorts underneath her dress with a few yanks, followed by lots of wiggles to get them off, then discards them behind her, before plonking herself beside us on the couch.
‘Aaaaaahhhh…’ She exhales with relief, then loads up a plate and impatiently pops some confit cod into her mouth. ‘This is sooo good. Honey, want some?’
‘I’m okay.’ Honey approaches with an embarrassed smile.
‘How are your job prospects, Lara?’ Ariella asks curiously, climbing off me. No. Please, don’t go, I silently plead.
‘Great! I have a load of business cards and job openings that I’ve been told I could easily fill coming out of my ears. That Eden is a magician, the dress totally worked. I have so much respect for girls who use their bodies to get what they want. People who judge them are complete idiots and need to be slapped. They have no idea. It’s bloody hard work,’ she declares with her mouth full.
‘That’s fantastic. Tell me more tomorrow? I’m going to head to bed. Goodnight, guys. Caleb, thank you for the food and the talk.’ Aari kisses my forehead, then Lara’s, and, with a little wave to Honey, disappears into her room.
‘Bloody hell, slow down, Lara,’ I advise, pouring her a glass of water.
‘Shut up. Stop pretending you’re not dying to follow her. What are you waiting for? Skywriting? Just keep it down, you two, some of us will actually be sleeping.’
Lara is right. I don’t even argue. I jump up and follow Ariella.
She’s in her bathroom doing her teeth when I enter. Our eyes meet in the mirror and she knows I’m not here to talk. Lara and Honey be damned. I’m going to make her scream my name until she’s hoarse; but if I jump on her now, I’m going to last about two seconds, so I slow us down.
‘Mind if I take a shower?’
‘Nope. All yours.’ I hear her disappointment as she leaves me to it.
The cold shower serves me well and, when I emerge, I’m much calmer.
She looks up just as I enter the bedroom wrapped in a towel, and I register her surprise.
‘What?’
‘Nothing.’ She smiles and goes back to the resort map she is studying. Oh, it’s definitely something.
‘Tell me. What?!’ I laugh as I walk round to her side and sit on the bed.
‘It’s silly. I forgot how beautiful you are, that’s all.’ That’s all I need.
‘How beautiful am I, Ariella?’ I tease.
‘Put some clothes on and come to sleep.’ She waves dismissively, trying to control the smile pulling at the corners of her lips.
‘In a minute. How beautiful am I?’ I inch closer.
‘I am ignoring you, Caleb.’ She tries not to laugh. I move closer still and our bodies touch slightly.
‘Go on. Tell me.’
She sighs loudly.
‘You’re such a nuisance. Very. Happy? Go.’ She tries to shift away, so I put my hand gently on her knee. She stays.
‘Well, now that I’m here.’ I bring my face close to hers. I hear her swallow.
‘Now you’re here, what?’
The first kiss lands on her neck. Her shiver confirms her delight. I plant another light kiss next to it. She doesn’t move. I’ve missed her smell. I run my tongue along her collarbone and hear her take another sharp breath. I make my way back to her neck and start to make my mark with my mouth. She used to love being temporarily branded by me. I love it too. It’s my way of sending ‘get lost’ signals to anyone who might get ideas.
Aari unfolds and parts her legs, with her knees bent and pointing to the ceiling. I move her knees wider, ease between them and lie on top of her. I hold my face a breath away from hers for a couple of seconds to study hers and make sure she doesn’t want me to stop before I kiss her. I expect it to be frenzied and urgent but it isn’t. It’s soft, gentle and seems binding somehow.
‘I love you, Aari, and it’s time to put my pride away.’ I hear her little sniff before she gently puts her fingers through my hair and brings my face back down to hers again.
I move her hands away slowly and help her out of her vest to bare her beautiful body.
‘Goodness, I’ve missed your body.’ I rest back on my knees, taking in her beautiful, smooth café-latte skin against the white cotton sheets. I trace my fingers along the base of her neck, down the middle of her chest and slowly around each nipple, thanking them for coming alive for me.
‘I’ve missed these too.’ I smile to myself.
‘They’ve missed you,’ she confirms softly. I explore her body with my mouth as she goes on her own little tour, leaving little sparks when she touches my skin. The sound of Aari’s laboured breathing is threatening to undo me, so I take a break to silence her with a kiss and feel between her thighs. Her underwear is soaked, so I place my fingers where I know it matters and slowly edge her towards her tipping point.
‘Caleb, I need you inside me.’ She strokes my arm.
‘We have a supply issue. We have one condom and no backup. The way this is going, we’re going to blow through it if we’re not careful.’ I look up apologetically.
‘Please, Caleb,’ she pleads with her eyes closed, and wriggles uncomfortably.
That’s all it takes. I rip open the packet, pull off her drenched underwear, place her ankles on my shoulders and enter her. She welcomes me in. The feeling is still unbelievable. I start slow because this is a new position for us and I’m going deep. Her gasp is a warning, so I ease off.
‘Are you okay?’ The last thing I want is to hurt her.
‘Yes.’
We develop a rhythm with our gazes locked on each other and everything between us seems bigger than the act itself. I’m particularly relieved that we have made it past last time, when our fears and anxieties got the better of us.
Ariella, without warning, slides her legs from my shoulders and plants both feet, trapping my hips between her knees.
She reaches for me and, as I bend forward, she places her hands on my shoulders, pulls herself upright and manoeuvres us into a loving kiss. She then uses her body to move me back onto my knees, forcing me to sit on my heels. Chest to chest, face to face, still linked, she wraps her legs round my hips, with her arms anchored round my neck and shoulders like she is holding on for dear life. As she settles on top, our foreheads meet and stay together.
‘Fuck, Aari,’ I exhale, millimetres from her mouth, as she begins to move.
‘I need you close, Caleb.’
Ariella keeps us moving as I steady her hips with my hands, controlling our pace. Then something transcendent happens. Being with her here, now, stops being about getting us to a climax. Instead, holding her close, moving as one, everything slows, our breathing syncs, my mind empties and my eyes shut. A magnetic force I have never experienced before holds us in place and I feel her. All of her. Her breath on my face, her hands clutching my back tightly and where we are joined feels indescribably intense considering how slowly we are moving. It almost feels out-of-body. I have no idea how long we stay like that but, when Ariella starts to move with a familiar urgency that breaks our trance, I don’t have to think about matching. I just do.
I hold my girlfriend steady as she grinds down hard against me, pushing harder, deeper, further. Aari suddenly stops, takes in a sharp breath and, for lack of a better word, detonates in my arms. It’s silent, contained, but forceful. She contracts around me so tightly and rapidly that what starts as a tremble amplifies through her body and she takes me with her. I instinctively pull her off me, flip her round so that she’s on her knees and plunge into her. Again, again and again. The explosion that starts at the base of my brain shoots down my spine and rips through me so hard, I hold on to her tightly, until it subsides. My body feels heavy but my head is light.
What. THE FUCK.
Neither one of us moves for a while.
‘Please will you shower with me?’ I eventually ask quietly. She nods.
She hugs me from behind, with her head resting on my back, as we quietly make our way to the shower.
We slip into our old routine, washing each other. Ariella has washed my hair countless times before but when she does it this time I struggle to keep my emotions in check. I’m not sure what’s going on, but it’s all too much. I step out first as always, wrap a towel round me and, before I return with the usual two for her hair and body, I quickly grab a third and lay it on the huge wet patch we created in bed.
That night, we fall asleep facing each other, legs intertwined, with not just me holding her hand against my heart as usual, but Ariella also holding mine against hers.
‘It’s you, Caleb. It will always be you. It will never not be you,’ she says quietly.
I’m asleep before I can think of how to respond to the gravity of her words.