Page 20

DELILAH

When I come out of the bathroom in a state of befuddled bliss, I find Jem packing up his bag.

I stop short, my euphoria quickly draining away.

‘What’s going on? Are you leaving me already? Am I just a one-hand stand?’ I mock-pout, though I’m really hoping he’s going to tell me not to be ridiculous.

He snorts and shakes his head, but he doesn’t meet my eye.

So I guess we’re back to being awkward around each other again then.

How disappointing.

What’s it going to take for him to relax around me?

My competitive nature steps up, determined to find out. It’s like a game, figuring Jem out. One I’m going to win.

‘I’m worried if we carry on like this, it’s going to make things too… messed up,’ he says, still not looking at me. ‘We should probably call a halt to it now that we’re quits. It’s already gone further than I meant it to.’

I go to speak, but he cuts me off.

‘Even if it’s only a bit of “fooling around”, it’s not a good idea. I can’t… It’s not…’

Frustration bubbles up from my stomach. ‘Spit it out, Jem, for God’s sake.’

He gives a heavy sigh. ‘Look, Dee, I just don’t have room in my head for this right now, okay?’

I swallow hard.

‘Okay,’ I say, trying to sound like I’m totally fine with that. That it’s no big deal. That I don’t have the room in my head either and I can just as easily leave it right here too.

He nods, like that’s it, decided.

‘Good. But I can’t sleep on that sofa again tonight; my back won’t take it,’ he says, turning to stare at the offending article.

But that’s not the real reason, I’m sure of it. He needs his space. So he’s not tempted to go back on what he just said.

And I have no argument against it. There’s no reason for us to share the same room now that the people we were trying to convince we’re in a relationship have gone.

‘Okay,’ I say again, though I have to admit, I’m a bit gutted. All right, really gutted. And feeling rejected, if I’m honest. Which is ridiculous, but there it is. I can’t control the way I respond to these sorts of things, especially around Jem, it seems.

‘You’re welcome to sleep on the other side of my bed, if you like?’ I say, but I already know what the answer to that is going to be.

‘Thanks, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.’

‘Where are you going to sleep then?’

‘In the room your dad was in,’ he says.

‘Right. Well, I recommend you change the sheets because he’ll have napped in that bed yesterday afternoon before dinner and he’s the sweatiest man I’ve ever met,’ I say a little meanly.

I know it’s childish, taking out my frustration on my dad, but he’s the one that forced this weird situation – not to mention abandoning us here on our own while he swanned off with the billionaire – so he can bloody well take the non-embodiment rap for it right now.

‘Eww. Thanks for that,’ Jem says, clearly not keen on the idea of sleeping in my-dad-infested bedding. ‘Yeah. I guess I should find some fresh linen.’

I love that he calls it fresh linen . He’s so classy. And I’m not taking the piss here, I swear. There are things that hit my pleasure buttons and old-fashioned idioms are one of them.

‘We could ask Alina where to get some. I’ll come with you to find her,’ I say, suddenly hit with the awareness that I don’t want to be on my own right now. I think it’s the threat of the storm that’s doing it. It’s unsettling me.

And I don’t want Jem to think I’m in any way upset about this turn of events. That’s a point of pride now.

‘You don’t need to,’ he says, a little more quickly than I’d like.

I bat a hand at him. ‘It’s fine. I could do with stretching my legs anyway.’

He just shrugs, as if he knows there’s no way he’s going to be able to dissuade me, so isn’t even going to try.

I pull on my jeans and a t-shirt and we wander out to the entrance hall, Jem a step and a half in front of me.

‘I wonder where they are?’ I muse.

‘Probably in the kitchen. That’s where they were when I asked for swimming costumes,’ he says over his shoulder, already heading towards a door at the back of the hall.

I stumble after him, still a little slowed down by my gammy ankle.

So by the time I’ve reached the door to the huge catering-sized kitchen, Jem is already coming back out of it, shaking his head.

‘No one in there,’ he says.

‘Maybe they’re in their quarters?’ I suggest.

‘Yeah, maybe. I’ll just check that room at the end. I think it’s the laundry. I’m sure I saw that written on the door when I passed it earlier. There’s probably a linen cupboard in there.’

‘Good idea,’ I say, following him as he strides off towards it, still struggling to keep up with him.

So, I’m a few steps behind when he swings open the door to the laundry and I see him stop abruptly in his tracks. His entire body seems to go rigid at what he’s seeing in there.

‘What’s wrong?’ I say, making it to the door just as Jem says, ‘I’m so sorry!’ and goes to swing it shut.

But I still manage to catch a glimpse of what’s alarmed him.

I gasp in gleeful surprise, my hand going straight to my mouth to smother the sound.

The sight of Alina, sitting on the worksurface above the washing machine, head thrown back and legs spread wide, with the butler’s dark head buried between them – clearly giving her a significant amount of pleasure, judging by the sounds she’s making – is now branded onto my vision.

I glance at Jem, who looks back at me, his shocked expression so comical, I can’t help but let out a snort of laughter.

He motions to shoo me away from the laundry. ‘I’ll come back later,’ he says, his voice gruff and low.

But I’ve got the giggles now and I’m having a lot of trouble keeping them under wraps. Hugging my arms around my middle, I lean against the wall, my whole body shaking with mirth.

‘Shh, Dee! They’ll hear you,’ Jem hisses.

‘So?’ I say, my laughter making it hard to get the word out. With a struggle, I manage to get my guffaws under control. ‘They’re probably having a good laugh about it… themselves… right now,’ I point out between bursts of giggles.

‘I doubt it,’ Jem replies. ‘They’re probably really embarrassed.’

‘Oh, come on.’ I flap a hand his way. ‘I doubt it. It’s just sex, Jem. Everyone does it. Chill out.’

He starts to stride off down the corridor, his gait stiff with tension. ‘Not everyone.’

I hurry after him, as fast as my ankle will allow. He’s already back in our bedroom by the time I make it in there and has his bag in his hand, ready to vacate.

My earlier hilarity totally fizzles away. He’s still intent on leaving me alone in here then.

I suddenly feel a strong, naughty urge to shock him out of his very fixed attitude.

‘You know, it’s a lot of fun, oral sex,’ I tell him. ‘You should try it some time. I can highly recommend it.’

He looks down at the ground and shakes his head. ‘Jesus. I wouldn’t even know where to start. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do, sex-wise.’

I lean back against the nearest wall and fold my arms, going for nonchalance. ‘Well, luckily for you, I am sex wise, so feel free to practise on me at any point, if you like. We could have a whistle-stop tour of sexual acts. Get you up to speed.’

Colour appears on his cheeks and he glances at me, blinking rapidly.

‘I’m not sure that’s a great idea.’ His body language says something else, though.

Especially the bulge in his shorts. He’s going to need to find a way to give himself permission to do this with me, that’s clear. He’s such a goody-goody.

Which is really dinging my bell.

And knowing Jem, he’s going to need more persuasion than your average dude.

So I give a dramatic sigh and say, ‘Look, the way I see it, it’s just a way to pass the time while we’re here.

It doesn’t have to mean anything. We don’t ever have to mention it to anyone.

And we’ll go back to how we were before we came here, once we’re home.

I swear, I won’t get all obsessed and turn into a bunny-boiler; it’s not my style.

I have more self-respect than that. And I’ve got a lot going on in my life at the moment, anyway. I’m not looking for anything serious.’

‘Oh, yeah, I forgot, you’ve got your sights set on your rock-star boss,’ he says with heavy meaning, flopping down onto the sofa.

This comment brings me up short.

‘Hmm? Uh, oh, yes. Well. He is pretty hot,’ I admit.

‘And rich,’ Jem says.

‘I guess.’

What I don’t say is that I don’t think I’m Jonah’s type. And I really want to keep that job. It could be a great jumping-off point to other opportunities. And I’m determined to make a success of my life, despite the opinions of my dissenters.

‘But there’s nothing going on with him at the moment, I swear.

I’m actually more interested in persuading him to let me hang some of my art on the walls in the hotel,’ I say, trying to deflect more talk about the state of my relationship with my boss.

‘Get it under some noses that have a lot of disposable income.’

‘Disposable noses,’ he says, the corner of his mouth rising in a lopsided grin.

Cute.

I can’t help but grin back. He’s such a geek. But a gorgeous one. And he’s smart. And quite funny on occasion, I suppose. In fact, I’m pretty baffled about why he’s still a virgin.

I walk to where he’s sitting and perch on the arm of the sofa.

‘How come you’ve never had a sexual relationship with anyone?’ I hazard to ask since he seems to be in a slightly better mood with me now.

Unfortunately, it appears I’ve misjudged this because he frowns and says, ‘None of your business.’

‘Come on, Jem. Talk to me. As a friend,’ I say, holding out my hands in supplication.

He shoots me a sceptical look.

‘Okay, as a friend of my sister’s then.’ I pause for effect. ‘Or is it because of her?’

His sigh is heavy. ‘Can we not go there again? My private life is just that – private.’