Swell (7 page)

‘I doubt it. You’ve seen her she’s like totally pale and plain. Have you seen what she’s wearing?’

I glanced down at myself and frowned.

‘I know, tragedy. But who is she anyway? I don’t remember her on tour before.’

‘Like apparently she’s Jason’s new girl but God knows why, she doesn’t even model.’

‘No way, Kirsti. Is she a movie star?’

‘Hullo, Mimi, does she look like a movie star?’

‘Portia said she’s some nerdy writer.’

I held in a gasp by covering my mouth. They were talking about me! Had they already forgotten I was just metres away or did they not care?

‘But even if Jason is screwing her she is like so not Cain’s type. Don’t worry, Janey, he won’t do her, she’s too plain. I bet she doesn’t even have a Brazilian. English girls are so weird like that.’

When I strode purposefully out of the toilet and squeezed between them to check my reflection, their faces froze back into their false smiles. Or that could have just been the effect of the Botox.

‘Great acoustics in here don’t you think?’ I beamed. I leaned closer and ran a finger over my lips. ‘Damn, I wish I’d remembered my lip-gloss. I’ve given so many blowjobs today my lips are quite raw. Oh well, every job has its disadvantages. Bye now.’

Turning on my heel, I left them with a smile and a sway of my hips. As I left the bathroom I heard the one called Mimi say - ‘Oh my GOD, like did she just say that?’

‘OMG she so did,’ her friend gasped, ‘but like what’s a coostick?’

CHAPTER NINE

Cain was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. He was surrounded by a flock of blonde girls with silicone breasts who all looked identical to the ones in the bathroom. It would not have surprised me if the surfers routinely took home the wrong girl by mistake. Or perhaps the interchangeable chicks were part of their cunning plan. They could always plead innocence when they ‘accidentally’ picked the wrong one and got caught cheating.

The girls gazed adoringly at Cain and I noted a thin covering of white powder beneath their button noses. It was evident the coke I had heard being offered at the party was not the fizzy sort for the designated drivers.

‘Sandy, Jenny, go see Orca huh?’ said Cain.

He tapped two of the girls on the bum, sending them tottering away towards the Tiger Sharks. The others followed, their taut backsides wiggling in symphony.

‘It’s like human pick ‘n’ mix,’ I said, finally alone with Cain. ‘Sorry I didn’t mean to say that out loud.’

Cain laughed.

‘Yeah, Sista, you’re right. They are kinda the same. A guy could get confused.’

He winked and I knew my theory had been proven right.

‘But you, you’re different. You’re interesting. I like that.’

I clamped my back teeth together when Cain moved so close I could almost hear his blood pumping.

‘I like like you,’ he sighed.

‘You like
like
me. Is that a double amount of liking?’

‘Could be.’

I turned to look at him but he was too close for comfort and cross-eyed wasn’t my best look. There was something very alluring about him. His body, his eyes, his face and his confidence ticked all the right boxes. I gasped when Cain’s mouth closed on my ear and his tongue licked my skin. I squeezed my eyes shut as a ripple of wanting ran down from my neck to my feet and back again at incredible speed. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised the music had not stopped with the sudden scratching sound of a needle on a record because it was as if someone had pressed the pause button at the party. Every eye in the room was fixed on us. The Tiger Sharks stared open mouthed at their leader. The pick ‘n’ mix blondes clasped their bony hands to their overly made-up faces. The rock stars and movie stars smiled approvingly and returned to their debauched activities. Feeling like the first girl at the school disco to slow dance, I held my breath and felt a blush creep across my face. Cain obliviously continued kissing my neck. His breath was hot and I could smell the sweet scent of his body. He was so overpowering, he had the ability to make me feel small and weak, yet there was something about being with the man every girl in the room so desperately wanted that made my inner strength surge.

‘Come upstairs with me,’ Cain groaned into my ear.

I wanted to say no. I wanted to be the one girl there to turn him down. I wanted to think I was better than Janey and Mimi and the rest of the girls who were on their own version of the world surfing tour, bedding as many of the stars as they could. Yet when Cain took my hand and led me upstairs I followed. I followed because I hadn’t had sex for so long and because I had never had a one-night stand and because I was in beautiful
Hawaii where nobody knew me. I followed because, of all the girls at the party, he had picked me. I followed because deep down I wanted to win.

When we reached the top of the stairs Cain turned me towards him and traced his finger across my lips.

His eyes that had seemed so black and menacing now sparkled as if they were on fire, reflecting the heat between my legs.

One minute his lips were pressing against mine, the next I was lying in the centre of a four-poster bed the size of a limousine with his mouth tracing every inch of my naked torso. I writhed beneath his touch, his hands following his tongue, massaging me and making me feel so alive.

I pressed my eyelids together and let the sound of the ocean outside the open window cascade over me. The tropical breeze wafting across the bed cooled the heat of my body just enough to make his sensual touch bearable.

What am I doing?
I asked myself.
This is not like me at all
.

It must only have been five o’clock on a Friday afternoon and there I was in Hawaii being licked all over by the surfing champion of the world when back in my real world I would have been sitting alone in front of my computer eating liquorice allsorts and hoping for inspiration.

There was not much searching to do. Inspiration had found me.

I opened my eyes and had to bite my tongue to stop myself crying out when I saw the naked body of Cain Ohana straddling me. He was lithe yet muscular and the colour of espresso. Across his firm chest was tattooed the outline of the Hawaiian Islands.

I groaned as he moved down my body and I offered no resistance when he pulled off my knickers. The only time my brain kicked into gear was when he moved to enter me without a condom.

‘Sensible girl,’ he said and reached for a condom but the look in his eye told me he was not used to being told what to do by a woman.

Finally he was ready and, judging by the feeling between my legs that was as moist as the ocean outside our window, I was ready too. He licked me then moved up my body and when our lips met, he thrust his tongue inside my mouth at the same time as he thrust himself inside me. I cried out but his mouth absorbed the sound.

‘I don’t usually do this,’ I gasped while we moved together. ‘I’m never impulsive. I’m not that kind of girl.’

‘Sure you’re not,’ he said, thrusting harder.

He was vigorous and confident. He made me relax and he made me explode with lust. He was everything I imagined a champion of the world to be. When he came, he lay on top of me breathing heavily until his body fell limp. I did not climax but neither did I complain. It was admittedly a selfish outcome, but my body was celebrating nonetheless. For once, being impulsive felt fantastic.

We showered together then Cain returned to the party and left me to get dressed. I smoothed cocoa butter from the bathroom cabinet all over my skin, revelling in my own sensuality. The moment replayed over and over in my mind when I stood at the open window gazing out at the turquoise ocean stretching to the distant horizon. I smiled. It was not love of course, it was lust. I was not looking for love and neither was Cain but we had connected and enjoyed each other for what it was. I slipped into my clothes and
took one more look at the horizon. Since arriving in Hawaii, life had felt so much bigger and full of prospects. Just seeing the sunset every night had opened my eyes to what was out there if I took a moment to stop and look. I had not, however, that morning expected to experience a moment of dangerous passion I would remember forever.

When I walked back downstairs, I watched Cain mingling comfortably with people I had only seen in gossip magazines. He walked with a swagger. He was desirable; he knew it and I had simply reinforced the fact. I allowed myself a smile. Squeezing past two girls who were comparing their real diamond belly button piercings, I poured myself a glass of champagne and enjoyed the fizz of the bubbles on my tongue.

‘You know like you shouldn’t be so stoked about what just happened. Cain only slept with you because you’re Jason’s girl.’

The bubbles popped. I turned to see Mimi and her entourage lined up behind me like a firing squad.

‘Excuse me?’

Mimi pushed out her already pert breasts and spoke very slowly.

‘I said, bitch, Cain only fucked you because you’re Jason’s girl and not for any other reason.’

‘Gosh you do have a way with words but I have to disappoint you, I’m not Jason’s girl.’

‘Sure you are,’ said Mimi with a well-practised pout, ‘you live with him right?’

‘Yes but only in a professional capacity.’

Mimi nodded towards the Tiger Sharks. They flanked Cain who was chatting away animatedly and laughing. When he began to add actions to his story, my stomach tightened sharply towards my spine.

‘Then you’re like totally his girl. You’re part of Jason’s crew and they love messing with Jason’s crew. D’you get it?’

I stopped and watched open mouthed as Cain made unmistakeable gestures with his hands. I prayed he was not doing what I thought he was doing but he was clearly not playing charades.

‘Yeah and like Cain totally hates Jason,’ said Janey.

I turned mechanically to look at them, my face set in an expression of grim acceptance.

‘He did you to get at Jason,’ said Kirsti with a self-satisfied smile.

‘He’d do anything or’ – Mimi looked me up and down as if I was something on the sole of her shoe – ‘
anyone
just to mess with Jason’s head.’

I had no witty response. I just blinked at them and shakily replaced my glass of champagne on the counter.

‘And you like totally fell for it.’

‘Yeah like hook, line and whatsit.’

‘My God like how humiliating?’

Their laughter made my hackles stand on end.

‘Shit, girl you have got like so much to learn,’ said Mimi.

She clicked her fingers and turned on her Manolo heel.

‘Sooo much,’ said Janey, ‘like totally.’

‘Welcome to the tour, bitch,’ said Kirsti with a wink. ‘Just like Jason, you lose.’

She followed her friends like a proud little duckling. I could still hear them laughing when I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.

‘Did the earth move?’ Cain called after me over the noise of the party.

I froze, my hand shaking on the door handle. I pressed my lips together and forced myself to turn around and face him across the room. My eyes narrowed to hold his victorious stare.

‘I didn’t feel a thing,’ I said nonchalantly and walked out of the house with my head held high.

CHAPTER TEN

I had never imagined an evening in Hawaii could be so utterly painful. The house was empty so I sat by myself staring at the four walls. I could not believe I had allowed myself to fall for Cain’s charms. I was no better than Mimi and her friends whom I had been so ready to mock. Regret weighed heavily on my shoulders.

I resisted the urge to call my sister and confess all, which showed the extent of my desperation. We did not have the tendency to tell each other everything. In fact, my sister and I had the sort of relationship that could well have fizzled out were we not connected by DNA.

Joanna was ten years older than me and had a grand house in the neighbouring county, but lived a life several planets away from my own. She had trained as a doctor and had always been the power-suited career woman type until our father committed suicide when I was fifteen and she was twenty-five. My father lost everything we owned on a horse called Donkey Jacket. The clue was in the name.

Joanna subsequently married the first wealthy father figure she found who made her feel safe. Gerry was a pompous arsehole who did not deserve her. I suspected she knew this was true but could not admit it to herself. Her situation frustrated me but I still loved her. I also adored her son, my only nephew, Zac. As for Gerry, we had an understanding. He understood I disliked him immensely and I understood he could not give two hoots what I thought of him because I was wholly insignificant in his world.

I found my own security in deciding never to rely on a man for my happiness or financial means again and so I concentrated on my career. All that remained of my father
were memories and an antique sports car that we had succeeded in hiding from the creditors. It was my inheritance and I loved it as if it were part of my father. I had also inherited a desire never to gamble the way my father had, which was why I had enjoyed a life free of risk. Right at that moment, however, I felt like my father’s daughter. I had indeed gambled and lost.

Not being able to face Joanna’s doubtless judgemental reaction to what I had done, I craved the company of someone completely self-centred who would not focus on the sort of day I had had. I picked up the phone and called Chuck.

‘Chuck, where are you?’

‘Bailey, dude, I was just gonna call you. I was in a hot tub enjoying myself with some bikini model chicks but now I am freaking out at the airport.’

‘Why? What’s happened?’

I was rather relieved to hear mine was not the only problem.

‘What’s happened? Man, Jason is totally tripping this time. He calls me this morning from Kona, says he’s gonna retire, for real. RE-TIRE! I mean, goddamnit, how can he even think about retiring now? What the fuck is he gonna do, and, much more importantly, what the fu-uck am I gonna do, you know what I’m sayin’? How can he do this to me the selfish prick?’

I relaxed a little, pleased to be able to concentrate on helping somebody else.