Page 46 of Kiss Heaven Goodbye

‘What’s up?’ asked Gabriel, his eyes momentarily flicking across.

She smiled. ‘I was just wondering where you’re taking me.’

He grinned. ‘You’ll see . . .’

The car was plunging down some very narrow and steep roads now and Grace could tell from the glorious aroma on the breeze ruffling her hair that they were close to the sea. The ocean at night had a special smell that spoke of mystery, promise and an emptiness waiting to be filled.

Gabriel parked the car

and pulled a bag out of the boot. Then he took her hand and led her through the rainforest towards the sea.

‘Are you sure you know where you’re go—Wow!’ gasped Grace. They had walked out of the trees on to the most beautiful sweep of silver moon-washed beach she had ever seen.

‘How did you find this place?’ she said with wonder. ‘I’ve been here months and I’ve never heard anything about it.’

Gabriel had dropped to his knees and was leaning over an oil lamp. ‘The location manager told me about it.’

‘Is this going to be in the movie?’

He struck a match and a dim glow came from the lamp. ‘They couldn’t use this place as a location because there’s no access for the trailers and trucks. But at least we get to see it.’

He spread a blanket on the pale silky sand and they sat down, bathed in soft light. Grace kicked her flip-flops off and stretched her long legs out on to the sand. The intimacy of the situation – their closeness, the complicit silence only punctuated by the gentle roar of the sea – made Grace want to blurt out her innermost thoughts, desires and closely guarded secrets. For the first time since she had left England, she felt light and giddy and happy. She felt free, as if she was letting go of her old self, coming up for air in a whole new life where she could be whatever and whoever she wanted.

‘What are you smiling about?’

‘This.’

‘Good.’

He reached over and kissed her, gentle touches at first, growing deeper, his fingers burrowing through her hair. Instinctively she sat up and pulled off her top in one movement as he unbuttoned his own shirt. She pulled the fabric from his arms and stroked the circle of dark chest hair, the hard ripple of muscle, as he unclipped her bra. His hands moved across her body, the curve of her rib cage, the tip of her nipple, which made her gasp.

‘You don’t know how sexy you are,’ he murmured.

For once in her life, she felt it. Not because the shape of her body had changed over the last year, or because she was lit by the flattering glow of the oil lamp. But because of how her skin felt at his melting touch. It had been too long since she had been intimate with anyone, and then it had been student fumbles. Nothing like this. Finally she understood what all the fuss was about.

He unzipped his shorts and slid out of them. His lips brushed her throat, slow butterfly kisses, working down her body as his fingers peeled off her panties. Spreading her legs, he blew lightly on her swollen clitoris, then stroked it with his cock as she groaned in almost unbearable pleasure. Finally he dipped into her, and as they rocked together, feeling his thickness, her stomach knotted in pent-up desire, her back arching as she reached the brink, and then oh yes, oh yes, that sweet release, the flood of liquid fire that rippled towards every nerve ending in her body. And then a blissful calm.

Afterwards, they lay on the blanket, damp bodies spooned together, naked in the soft saffron lamplight.

‘I’ve never done that before.’

‘Sex?’

‘Sex on a beach.’

‘Me neither.’

She laughed again and pushed him over on his back.

‘What’s funny now?’

‘Oh, just that I thought a sophisticated literary figure like yourself would be doing this sort of thing all the time.’

‘Well, I hope I can keep disappointing you this way.’

‘What are you doing tomorrow?’ she asked, feeling bold.

‘Seeing you, hopefully.’