The Love Detective (34 page)

‘What will you do?’ I ask. ‘I mean, after I’ve gone to meet my sister?’

‘Oh, there’s a few things I need to sort out,’ he says vaguely, looking back at the flames.

I hesitate, then, ‘Jack,’ I say boldly, ‘can I ask you a question?’

‘Sure.’

With it poised on my tongue, I hesitate again, nervously. ‘You’re not a jewel smuggler, are you?’ I finally blurt.

Jack looks at me and suddenly lets out a roar of laughter. His mouth opens crocodile-wide, showing off rows of white American teeth. ‘That has to be the funniest thing I’ve ever heard,’ he says when he finally stops laughing.

My cheeks flame. ‘It’s just that I don’t know anything about you, or why you’re here,’ I begin trying to explain, ‘and you were in the jeweller’s in Jaipur and I, well—’

‘Just put two and two together and came up with a million?’ he grins.

I feel suddenly foolish. But still curious. ‘Well, are you?’ I persist.

‘No, though I almost wish I was – it sounds kind of exciting.’

I shake my head. ‘I just don’t know anything about you.’

‘Yes you do,’ he disagrees, ‘I’m an architect. I have a terrible line in jokes . . . and I wear this crazy old hat.’ He tips his fedora at me, and flashes me a smile.

‘So why were you on that train if you can afford to fly?’ I challenge.

‘You really want to know?’

‘Yes,’ I say, emboldened.

‘OK, well . . . I’m terrified of flying,’ he confesses. ‘There, I’ve said it.’

I look at him in shock. ‘You? Scared of flying? But you’re not scared of anything!’

‘And I was in Goa overseeing the building of a new school; I do some work for a charity.’

The surprises are coming thick and fast.

‘Anything else?’ He turns to me, his eyebrows raised.

I hesitate, about to say no, nothing, and yet . . .

‘Why are you going to Udaipur?’ My words come out in a rush. ‘You said it was to keep a promise?’

There’s a pause, as he seems to absorb the question. ‘That’s a little more complicated,’ he says finally.

‘Complicated, how?’

‘Life’s just complicated, that’s all,’ he shrugs, and as he turns away towards the dying flames, it’s obvious he doesn’t want to talk about it any more. ‘The fire’s going out, I think it’s time to go to bed.’

I was right. Whatever it is he’s not telling me, the subject is most definitely closed.

Bed is a tent. And one that Jack and I are sharing, I suddenly realise as, getting up from the fire, he folds back the heavy tarpaulin and motions me to follow.

‘Mohan and Rocky are in the one over there,’ he says, pointing to the other tent, pitched a few hundred yards away. ‘This one’s ours.’

I don’t know why this hadn’t crossed my mind earlier, considering there are only two tents, and four people. But then maths has never been my strongest subject.

‘Um, great,’ I smile, suddenly feeling ridiculously nervous.

‘What’s wrong?’ Jack catches my expression.

‘Oh – um, nothing,’ I say hastily. ‘I’m just a bit scared of creepy crawlies.’

Which is true. The last time I found a spider in the shower I had to call Mrs Flannegan over to get it out. Now
that’s
what I call scared. Getting your elderly neighbour, who uses a walking stick, to come and rescue you, isn’t just scary, it’s pretty horrifying.

‘Don’t worry, I’ve got a flashlight, I’ll check for scorpions.’

‘
Scorpions?
’ I gasp. Shit. And I thought spiders were scary.
‘There are scorpions?
’

‘None that are deadly, as far as I know,’ he nods, digging out a torch from the pocket of the small daypack he always carries around with him. Switching it on, he shines an illuminated beam into the pitch darkness inside the tent. ‘OK, let’s have a look . . .’

Suddenly I’m so very happy to be sharing a tent with Jack. Relieved, actually.

Flicking the torchlight into corners and lifting up blankets like a man who knows what he’s doing, he soon declares the tent scorpion free. ‘Nothing’s going to bite you tonight,’ he says, turning the beam towards me.

I laugh weakly.

‘So, which is your side?’

‘Um, sorry?’

‘The bed,’ he says, motioning towards the layers of mattress rolls laid out on the ground sheet, on which are piled thick blankets and cushions.

‘Oh . . . either, I don’t mind,’ I say, trying to act all cool and casual, but inside I feel absurdly nervous. As if I’m about to sleep with someone for the first time. Which, I suppose technically I am, in a way, except—

‘OK, cool, well I’ll have this side then,’ he shrugs and, putting the torch between his teeth, kicks off his boots and starts unbuttoning his trousers.

Oh my god, he’s going to take them off!

I stare, frozen by his striptease, then snap to. ‘Um yeah, sure,’ I stammer, quickly turning around to face the other way before I see something I shouldn’t. With my back to him, I slip off my trainers and quickly dive under the blankets fully clothed.

Behind me, I can hear Jack undressing, the sound of a belt buckle being undone, the soft thump of items of clothing landing on the ground. Then the blankets lift and he slips in next to me.

‘Mmm, comfy,’ he murmurs approvingly.

‘Yes, isn’t it?’ I reply, trying to sound all cheery and not in any way freaked out by the situation.

And then we both fall silent. Neither of us speaks. There’s just the sound of us both breathing. Except, that suddenly sounds really loud. In fact, even the slightest rustle of a blanket is deafening. Every noise seems amplified somehow, every movement exaggerated. I lie very still. I daren’t move in case I touch Jack. I have no idea what clothes he’s wearing. Or if he’s wearing any clothes at all. I mean, what if he’s naked?

Naked?
Oh my god, why did I just think about Jack being naked? My stomach flutters and I try to steady my breathing. Do not think about that, Ruby; don’t even think about that.

He turns over. I can feel his breath, warm against my cheek. Even though our bodies aren’t touching, just the presence of him next to me is electrifying. I swallow hard. It sounds so loud in the quiet and I try to steady myself. I shouldn’t be thinking like this. What about his one-night stand with Cindy? I try to focus, but all thoughts of Cindy have flown out of the window. It’s as if she doesn’t exist – no one else exists. It’s just the two of us now: me and Jack and no one else.

My heart is hammering so loudly I’m sure Jack can hear it. It’s been such a long time since I’ve shared my bed with a man, I feel like a tightly wound spring. We’re here, together, alone, out in the desert, in the middle of Rajasthan . . . the setting is so wildly erotic, I feel like
something’s
going to happen, I can tell he feels like something’s going to happen—

‘Ruby?’ His voice is almost a whisper.

‘Yes?’ Mine is barely audible.

I’m aware of his body moving closer. Even though we’re not touching, I’m heady with desire. I hold my breath; the air hangs, suspended in that moment before something happens . . .

Suddenly there’s a commotion outside and a figure appears through the tent flap.

‘Rocky?’ I gasp, as he stands silhouetted by the moon in the doorway. ‘Is that you?’

‘Is everything OK?’ Jack jerks himself up on his elbows.

‘Yes, yes, everything is wonderful,’ he beams happily, ‘but I must ask you something . . .’ He breaks off and I notice him sway unsteadily on his feet. ‘There is no room in Mohan’s tent . . . He has some local men who helped with the car . . .’

As we both realise where this is leading, there’s a palpable sense of something sinking. I think it’s both our hearts.

‘Of course . . .’

‘You must sleep here.’

We both speak at the same time, our words toppling over each other in our eagerness to make Rocky feel welcome. And our haste to show the other person there’s no sense of disappointment; that there were never any thoughts entertained of any other kind,
whatsoever
.

‘There are extra blankets,’ Jack is saying now.

‘And here’s a cushion,’ I add.

‘Oh thank you . . . you are so kind . . . thank you.’  Thanking us profusely, Rocky stumbles into the tent.

I listen to him staggering around, tripping over things. And I thought I was clumsy. I hear a loud hiccup and suddenly, without any warning, he lurches forwards and lands like a dead weight, slap bang in the middle of us.

I let out a gasp. ‘What the—?’

‘I think someone’s had one too many beers,’ says Jack, flicking on his torch and shining it on Rocky, who’s lying flat on his back, completely passed out. I don’t know about a match-maker, he’s a total passion killer.

We look at each other, not knowing what to do, both knowing there’s nothing we
can
do. Apart from try to get some sleep. Jack shrugs then switches off the torch. We both settle back down.

At least it’s quiet, I try to console myself, I’ll be able to get some sleep.

For a few moments it’s silent, then Rocky’s breath starts to deepen, growing gradually louder and louder until – with one large inhale – there’s a rattling snore.

Oh no. Please no.

I wait on tenterhooks as he exhales . . . then there’s another rattling snore. Louder, this time than the last.

Argh. Grabbing my cushion, I pull it round my ears. It’s going to be a long night and, sadly, I realise, not in the way I’d hoped.

Chapter 31

Last night I had a sex dream.

Usually I just have ones about finding myself naked in the town centre, or sitting my exams without having done any swotting or, worst of all, the one where my teeth fall out. And not just fall out, but get stuck in sandwiches, or crumble away as I’m trying to talk and the whole time I’m valiantly trying to stuff them back in . . .

Apparently they’re all classic anxiety dreams. I obviously have a lot of anxiety. Which isn’t surprising. I mean, I don’t need an expert in dream analysis to tell me that if I spend the whole night having my teeth fall out, I’m going to wake up feeling anxious.

But not this morning. This morning I wake up feeling vaguely excited and hover in that lovely woozy place between sleeping and being fully conscious. Images and feelings waft back to me.
Tangled sheets
. . .
naked limbs
. . .
desire
. . . A delicious shiver tingles up my spine as the emotions wash over me like waves.
Kissing . . . stroking
. . .
being spooned by a warm body behind me
. . .

Wait a minute.

That’s not a dream.
I am
being spooned by a warm body behind me.

Stirred from slumber, my heart goes from nought to about sixty in less than a second. I feel a sudden thrill. And pleasure. It feels nice,
really
nice. I get a flashback of Jack last night taking off his clothes, and feel ridiculously horny. I try to lie very still, I don’t want to wake him, but it’s hard to resist. Ever so slightly, I wiggle my bum into him a bit more. There, that’s better, now I can feel his warm breath on my ear.

With his body next to mine, I stay like that for a moment, relishing the closeness. Then, without making a noise, and feeling like a child sneaking a peek at their Christmas presents, I surreptitiously peep over my shoulder . . .

And come face-to-face with Rocky, who’s sound asleep.

Oh my god! I take a sharp intake of breath. I’m spooning Rocky! Or is he spooning me? And does it matter who is spooning whom?

We’re all spooning each other!

With horror I look past Rocky’s shoulder, and spot Jack, blissfully curled up behind him, his arms entwined around Rocky’s waist.

‘Jack! Wake up!’ I bark, jumping upright out of bed.

Rocky rolls over and lets out a loud moan.

‘Uh . . . wassup?’ Blearily opening his eyes, Jack takes a moment to focus, and then when he does: ‘Jesus! I thought that was you!’

‘And I thought that was you!’

Jerking bolt upright, Jack stares at me in disbelief, then together we both swivel our eyes to look at Rocky, who’s lying there, blissfully sleeping like a baby. Well, that is if babies have tufts of white hair, spectacles askew and mouths that hang wide open, drooling.

Jack digs Rocky roughly in the ribs and he lets out a loud snort that only serves to fire up the snoring again, rather like giving a motorbike a kick-start. He elbows him even harder.

‘Huh?’ Rocky’s eyes flicker open, roll into the back of his head then, seeming to think better of it, come back again. Finally they focus on us. ‘Miss Ruby . . . Boss . . .’ he croaks in a raspy voice.

‘Do you think he’s ill?’ I whisper, shooting a panicked look at Jack.

‘Ill?’ frowns Jack. ‘No, he’s hungover!’ He points at the empty whisky bottle on the side and gives him another shove with his elbow.