Chapter Twenty-Four
Alex had taken Ellie back to their room, where she could lick her wounds.
After changing out of her bikini she’d thrown it in the bathroom bin, but he’d insisted on fishing it out and hanging it up to dry.
There was no way he’d let her get rid of something she’d looked so stunning in.
He’d managed to convince her by pointing out that she only had to double-knot the ties in future.
‘More like triple,’ she’d grumbled, flopping on the bed and staring up at the ceiling with a miserable expression.
‘I’ll go fix you some lunch,’ he said, and left quietly, so she could have some time to think.
She was obviously embarrassed and shaken up by the lilo accident.
Alex made his way downstairs feeling a little guilty that he’d been so turned on by her accidental flashing. But… Man, she has a great ass.
All plump and round, something he could really grab hold of in bed.
He flushed at his wayward thoughts. Seeing Ellie in her bikini today had really pushed all of his buttons.
She was gorgeous already, but put her curvaceous hourglass in a tiny bikini and she became a goddess.
He’d spent most of the day staring intently into her face to avoid another erection.
He swallowed the knot in his throat. His attraction to her was getting out of control.
Dare he take it any further? More than once he’d caught her looking at him with similar desire, and they were already good friends. Could the natural progression to a romantic relationship be the perfect solution for both of them?
But she’d told him at the start she wasn’t ready to date again, and they’d made a deal. There was only the wedding and then a couple of days left in the Bahamas before they went home. It would be wiser to wait, to see how it changed when they were away from the romance and drama of the islands.
He began to rummage through the fridge helpfully labelled lunch. A variety of sandwiches, salads and fruit platters were waiting inside for anyone who wanted them.
‘How’s Ellie?’ asked Savannah, and the slice of watermelon Alex was about to take a bite of stopped inches from his mouth. He turned towards her, uncertain.
To be fair, he reminded himself, Savannah had been nothing but kind to Ellie since she’d arrived. Unfortunately, he couldn’t say the same thing about his own manners towards his ex.
‘She’s fine. A little embarrassed about mooning you all, but she’ll get over it. I think she’d like to pretend it never happened – could you tell the others?’
‘No problem,’ she said firmly. ‘Consider it done.’
‘Thanks.’
He thought she’d leave then, but she hovered around, watching him as he plated up lunch for him and Ellie. For once, he didn’t mind her presence; it didn’t prick at his skin as it might have done before. But it was still a little odd. He waited, giving her the space to speak if she wanted to.
‘Alex, I’m sorry,’ she finally said, her voice hushed and fragile.
‘It’s fine.’
‘But you’ve never let me explain.’ She rushed the words as if a dam had been broken between them and she was scared to miss her opportunity to speak.
‘I said, it’s fine,’ he said with a sigh, grabbing the tray of snacks and heading towards the door. Savannah’s fingers grabbed his arm and stalled him.
‘It’s not fine, and I’m sorry for that. Please don’t blame Liam.
It was my fault. I told him that things were over between us…
and they were, weren’t they? We’d not seen each other in over two months, barely talked, and when we did, we didn’t have much to say to each other.
We were never suited and, well, I presumed you’d moved on and not told me. ’
‘We never broke up!’ snapped Alex, frustrated that they were only now having this conversation.
He took a deep breath, before adding more calmly, ‘We never even talked about breaking up. You cheated on me, Savannah. And with my brother of all people. I know I wasn’t the best boyfriend, but I didn’t deserve the lies.
I didn’t deserve all of this only a few months later!
’ He threw his hands wide as if he could describe the effect all their plans had had on him.
Savannah winced. ‘We had to improve the narrative. A wedding was the perfect distraction.’
Narrative… distraction… he’d heard those words before. Were all of their lives smoke and mirrors?
‘Do you even want to get married?’
‘Of course,’ Savannah gasped. ‘But what we did—’
‘Cheating on me with my brother?’
She nodded, her face pale. She was so delicate and nervous, and he realised he’d never been attracted to her – he’d thought she was the perfect woman, but she wasn’t, not for him.
For Liam, probably, but not him. ‘We didn’t want it to be for nothing.
We wanted to show you and the rest of the world that we did it for a reason.
That we love each other – otherwise, we never would have done what we did. ’
‘You should have talked to me. Told me you were unhappy. I would have understood. But instead, you started dating Liam behind my back! Whether you thought it was over or not, neither of you spoke to me about it. You just did what you wanted, like you always do. Neither of you cared how I felt. Hell, none of this family gives a shit how I feel!’
This was what he’d always burned to say. The betrayal and pain he felt was because of how his family had behaved towards him, not because of any love he’d had for Savannah.
‘We never talked much about anything! You were so focused on setting up your play in London, while I was building my career in LA. We never once discussed anything, not properly. We just told each other our separate plans and got on with it,’ Savannah said defensively, but then she sighed miserably.
‘We were never going to work together. But, you’re right.
I should have ended it sooner. What I did was unforgivable.
But I still want you to know that I’m sorry.
Not for falling in love with Liam, but for how I treated you both.
Liam is devastated about it. Please, I understand if you can’t forgive me, but please talk to him. ’
Turning to face her, he said gently, ‘I do forgive you, Savannah. We were never right for one another, I see that. But Liam is my brother. I trusted him to have my back. And now everyone expects me to just get over his betrayal of my trust like it was nothing. I’m going to need time to forgive him.
I know I will in the end. Just, don’t ever cheat on Liam – that’s one thing I could never forgive. ’
Her chin wobbled.
‘Don’t cry!’ he pleaded, removing her hand from his arm and giving it a gentle squeeze before releasing it.
She gave him a watery smile. ‘I love him so much.’
‘Then I’m glad, because he really loves you, too.’
To his surprise, he meant every word.
After they’d eaten lunch, Ellie seemed a little brighter about the bikini incident.
‘I can’t hide away for ever,’ she said resolutely, before wincing. ‘But maybe not the pool again just yet. Actually, you know what? I’d like to learn to cook something. The meals here are so lush, do you think your chef will give me some recipes?’
‘Erm… probably.’ He couldn’t even remember the name of his parents’ current chef.
‘That curried lobster dish we had was fantastic. I wonder if I could recreate it with king prawns for Mark’s birthday. He’d love it.’
‘Doesn’t he like lobster?’
Ellie rolled her eyes. ‘Our wallets don’t like lobster.’
‘Ahh, sorry.’
Ellie merely chuckled, unbothered by his stupid statement.
They walked into the kitchen and found the chef humming to herself. She looked to be in her mid-thirties. Her dark skin contrasted against the crisp chef’s whites and her hair was wrapped in a colourful headscarf.
When she noticed them, her brow wrinkled in confusion. ‘Is there a problem, Mr King? Lunch today is a buffet in fridge one. I was told no formal dining.’
Alex immediately raised his hand in reassurance. ‘No, no problem. Lunch was as delicious as always… Alyssa.’
The tension in her face evaporated and she rewarded him with a grin. He relaxed as well. He hadn’t been a hundred per cent sure of her name, but surely she would have corrected him if he’d been wrong?
‘Hi, I’m Ellie,’ said Ellie, going over to shake Alyssa’s hand with the bright and easy manner that he always found so refreshing.
‘Your food is amazing. I know you’re very busy, but I was really hoping you could give me the recipe for that lobster dish we had the other night?
My brother would absolutely love it, and I really love trying to cook new dishes. Only if you don’t mind?’
‘Of course I don’t mind.’ Alyssa dismissed her worry with a wave of her wrist. ‘I’ll write it down for you right now. Unless you would rather try making it? I’m preparing the dishes for tonight and Mrs King requested that dish again. She said one of her guests loved it.’
‘Guilty as charged.’ Ellie held up her hand. ‘And I would absolutely love to make it.’ She turned to Alex, her eyes shining with enthusiasm. ‘You can go do your own thing if you’d prefer?’
Honestly, if she’d asked him to go dumpster-diving naked, he would have said yes. Her smile was like an aphrodisiac, and he could never deny her anything.
‘Sounds great.’
‘I might even make a fruit punch or cake for your family, just as a little thank-you for having me.’
‘You don’t need to. But if you’d like to, I’d be happy to help.’
‘I’d like to,’ she said lightly as she tied back her hair.
He was both bewildered and pleased by the current turn of events. To think he was worried about them being bored on his parents’ island. He was never bored with Ellie around.