Coconuts and Wonderbras (30 page)

    ‘You saw me?’

    ‘I did. I was less impressed with the way you greeted my friends on your arrival though.’

I see he is smiling at me and I
gape at him. Backhanded compliments or what? He leans towards me and I hold my breath.

    ‘What about you and Toby?’ he asks softly.

    ‘Oh, Toby and I…’ I stammer stupidly looking past him to the window and the bright full moon.

He continues looking at me.

    ‘He has never committed to me and now I don’t really want him to.’

    ‘Right, well if that is the case then I’m sorry but I’ve just got to kiss you and this time I won’t pretend it is for any other reason than I want to,’ he says breathlessly, moving towards me.

My loins have gone insane now, and I can’t blame them. I have lost my train of thought and all I am aware of is the smell of him, that all empowering smell of danger, urgency and manliness. My hand drops to his firm thigh as my body weakens. His gaze meets mine and I am engulfed by a tidal wave of emotion and longing. God, he feels so strong, so dangerous and so deliciously sexy that I feel almost faint. His hand strokes my neck and then he pulls my head gently towards him and I feel the undercurrent of his desire bubbling below the surface. His other hand cups my cheek. Beneath my own hand his thigh seems to be trembling. His lips seem so far from mine that I feel it will be forever before they come together. The only sound is his breathing, for mine has surely stopped. His hand has moved from my cheek and is gently stroking my back. My eyes close and the moon disappears and the only sensation is his warm lips on mine, urgent and demanding, while his strong arms hold me close. I’m in heaven and I’m in love. I feel I could stay in his capable arms forever, but he gently pushes me back.

    ‘This really isn’t the place is it?’ he says softly and I hear the tremor of desire in his voice.

I try to breathe normally, but it is impossible. Alex Bryant has turned me into a quivering wreck. Good Lord, I am Libby Holmes, domestic goddess no longer. I have metamorphosed into a real sex goddess. Mother won’t only be proud she will most likely, for the first time in her life, be speechless, as indeed am I.

I nod and try not to let my disappointment show. He walks to the window and draws the curtains. I am about to speak when he pulls me back into his arms. The smell of him again makes me feel faint. His lips hungrily devour mine and he urgently pushes me back onto the couch pressing his body against mine. I can feel the rapid beating of his heart and feel sure it matches my own.

    ‘I so much want you to stay here with me,’ he whispers into my ear, his deep voice drowning out the sound of our thumping hearts. His hand gently pushes down the front of my top and I grasp it with my own and hold it tightly. His head snaps up and he looks at me, the desire in his eyes so fierce that it takes my breath away.

    ‘I’m sorry,’ he says softly, removing his hand but still holding onto mine. ‘I’m losing control, it’s not like me.’

Oh, I don’t mind. I try to breathe normally but my body is not having any of it.

    ‘Libby, these past few days spent with you have been some of the best days of my life.’

I look around the room for some divine inspiration but nothing comes and all I can manage is a loud sniff for which he produces a tissue. God, I am feeling bloody traumatised.

    ‘Are you free New Year’s Eve, or do you have a date?’ he asks with a smile.

    ‘Well, I don’t know. I’ve been inundated with offers for that night.’

He laughs and pulls an envelope from his bag.

    ‘Here’s a ticket for the Glass Dome party. I hope no one else is taking you because I would really like to be your date.’

Oh, mother will be so happy.

    ‘The party will be…’ he stops to check his watch. ‘In just over thirty-six hours. After the broadcast I have to clarify a few things at the British Embassy and I may not see you before we fly home. Promise you’ll meet me under the clock in the foyer at precisely 11.45, because I have something special to ask you.’

Don’t faint, at least not at this precise moment. Libby Bryant, oh fuck a duck, it actually does have a perfect ring to it doesn’t it? Mother will do her Dance of the Peacocks when she hears about this. Yes, well best not to think about that. Meet him under the clock. Ooh it sounds like something out of a 1940s film. I attempt to flick my hair back in the manner of Rita Hayworth but fail miserably as most of it is stuck to my neck. Let’s face it, the hair, stuck to your neck and chin look, is most decidedly my own very unique style.

    ‘Synchronise watches,’ I say flippantly.

    ‘Copy that,’ he responds with a smile.

It is all I can do to stop myself from throwing my hot sweaty body on top of his. The muscles in his arms seem to ripple and I feel a shiver of desire run through me. He kisses me softly on the lips.

    ‘You drive me crazy, Libby, you really do.’

Me, Libby Holmes, drives Alex-
slice-your-tongue-out
-Bryant crazy? Heavens, it must be something they put in that sticky rice. I’ve never driven anyone crazy in my life, apart from my mother of course.

    ‘Promise to meet me under the clock?’

    ‘I promise.’

Ooh, doesn’t this sound a bit like we are exchanging wedding vows?

He turns his head as shouts from outside reach us. Oh no, why does this always happen to me? I jump from the couch and prick up my ears. I then hear a familiar voice and feel my stomach lurch. I close my eyes and sigh in exasperation. I know I wanted to be chased but this is now taking things too far. Talk about having romance backfire on you. I quickly straighten my clothes aware that Alex is looking intently at me.

    ‘Did you tell him you were coming here?’ he asks, almost accusingly.

    ‘Of course not,’ I say defensively.

Oh this is awful, why are we now acting so cross with each other?

    ‘Libby, Libby, where are you?’ calls Toby.

I look at Alex who is shaking his head.

    ‘I don’t believe this,’ he says angrily, storming towards the door.

    ‘Don’t hurt him,’ I hear myself say and regret the words immediately they are said. Why do I make the same mistake over and over again?

He glares at me and flings open the door. In the light of the moon I can see Toby struggling stupidly with one of the men while the other looks on.

    ‘Toby, why are you here,’ I say as forlornly as I feel.

    ‘I should be asking you the same question,’ he yells.

    ‘She was invited. The
question is, what are you doing here?’ Alex barks. ‘You’re becoming an irritant to me.’

    ‘Alex,’ I gasp.

How can he be so horrible?
He looks at me and shakes his head. The man holding Toby frees him and Toby falls to the floor with a moan. I run and help him up.

    ‘Toby why did you come here,’ I whisper softly.

Oh, this is just so awful and how could Alex be so loving one minute and then brutally angry the next? Perhaps this isn’t the man for me after all. Toby rubs his back and then links his arm through mine.

    ‘I thought you were coming to meet me. I was curious to see where you were going. I didn’t think you were coming to see him. You surely don’t want him do you Libby. He’s just a know-it-all wanker? He’s marrying Penny anyway…’

    ‘No he isn’t,’ I respond quicker than I mean to.

    ‘Well, Penny is pretty convinced he is. Anyway, I thought you loved me Libby. You and I go together, like… spotted dick and custard.’

    ‘Spotted dickhead more like,’ says Alex with a scoff.

Can it get any worse?

    ‘Toby, I…’

    ‘Earlier at the hotel you gave the impression you wanted me as much as I wanted you.’ He sniffs and I see his nose is bleeding. This is terrible, what kind of people does Alex have guarding him?

    ‘Did they hit you?’ I ask, staring angrily at the men. ‘Did you hit him?’ I demand while Alex shakes his head in exasperation. How dare he do that and how dare he have his men beat up Toby.

    ‘They are protecting me, Libby. What are they supposed to do?’

    ‘They’re bullies and so are you,’ I say fiercely, while at the same time wanting to hug him. Oh this is just awful. What the hell am I saying? I love Alex, not Toby. What am I doing?

    ‘So, you think I’m a bully do you? You seriously think I told my bodyguards to beat up your boyfriend?’

    ‘I… I don’t know,’ I stammer, wishing I could just start all over again.

    ‘It seems we are both under some misapprehension here. I’m sorry if I misunderstood.’

With that he slams the door shut. Oh no, now what do I do?

    ‘I banged it Libs, in the tuk-tuk,’ mumbles Toby. ‘These dirt tracks are unbloodybelievable. Why don’t they have decent sodding roads here?’

    ‘What?’ I cry. ‘You banged your nose in the tuk-tuk, why didn’t you say so?’

    ‘I just did. Come on Libs, let’s go back to the hotel and get a drink. I need one, I don’t know about you. Leave him to sulk. He’s an idiot. You don’t seriously like him do you? He’s getting married in a few weeks.’

Alex lied to me. How could he? He was using me just like Toby. I hate him. In fact I hate all men. I’m going to become a lesbian. Jamie will be able to advise me. Bugger everything. I wouldn’t go out with him now if he were the last man on earth. Oh God, my love life is turning into an Austen novel with misunderstandings all over the place. Finally Toby has realised what he has in me and now I’m quite sure I don’t want Toby. What irony.

***

I fly towards the mini bar like a demented woman. Not for the alcohol you understand. I know things are crappy in my life but they’re not that bad. My face is itching like crazy and is so hot that I feel like it must be on fire. I pull out a bottle of Smirnoff and a can of lager.

    ‘Christ Libby. We could have had a drink at the bar. Far more dignified,’ says Toby standing in the doorway.

I slap the lager tin onto my hot itchy foot and sigh. The vodka bottle I hold against my cheek and flop onto the bed. Toby is beside me before I can say ‘sticky rice’.

    ‘Libs, I know I’ve been a fool with Serena and I promise you that’s over,’ he says prizing the bottle out of my hand and struggling with the top. He finally flips it off, spilling vodka onto the bedspread.

    ‘I don’t know what came over me. I think I temporarily lost…’

    ‘Your sanity?’ I mutter.

My room will smell like a bloody brewery. He pours the liquid into glasses.

    ‘My perspective, that’s what I lost,’ he continues. ‘I had shit going on. Anyway, you’ll be pleased to know that you are much better at it than she is and…’

I jump from the bed.

    ‘Oh, I’m thrilled Toby. Precisely what things am I better at?’

    ‘No, what I mean… Oh, fuck it Libs,’ he squirms. ‘You’re better than her in every way.’

I just want him to leave so I can close the door and dive under the covers. Why am I so stupid? What is wrong with me? For the second time I have blown things with Alex. He isn’t going to give me another chance. He must think me so weak and silly. Damn it.

Toby is stroking my hand and it is just another unbearable sensation.

    ‘You don’t really like that prick do you? You and I are a million miles from them two. We don’t mix in their world. We’re simple people, you and I.’

Speak for yourself, Toby.

    ‘I love you Libs. I’ve always loved you. I will make you really happy, just wait and see. Let’s get engaged Libs. That’s what you want isn’t it?’

So, here I am. Everything going just the way I had planned. My boyfriend Toby is asking me to marry him. Everything is going swimmingly to plan. So, why do I feel like I am drowning?

Chapter Twenty-Five

    Jonathan has called a meeting. I really couldn’t care less. I just want to go home. What a fool I am. What was I thinking of, accusing Alex of having Toby beaten up?
He could quite easily do that himself without asking heavies to do it. I can’t believe I said it. Mother also can’t believe I said it, and I expect Issy won’t believe I said it either when I tell her. Someone kill me before I completely wreck my love life, such as it is. To make matters even direr, if that were at all possible, it seems Toby and I are now officially engaged. Why do these things happen to me? More importantly,
how
do these things happen to me? I never actually said yes to Toby’s proposal, but if I did I certainly don’t remember doing so. I spent most of last night with my head in the mini bar. Not drinking from it, you understand, but just to cool my face down. I was so hot and upset after Toby left, that the rash on my face and feet just went kind of insane. I order a coffee and sit miserably looking out of the window at the carnival preparations. Everyone is smiling. They must think me such a miserable cow. Issy bounces into the dining room, spots me and dives over.

    ‘Hey, how did it go with Alex?’

I open my mouth to respond but she launches into an exuberant description of her evening with Jonathan. I sit quietly drinking my coffee feeling the tears well up. She stops and looks closely at me.

    ‘Oh, no what happened? You didn’t blow it?’

I nod miserably.

    ‘Bollocks,’ she exclaims.

    ‘Toby came and caused a scene and I accused Alex of beating him up. He then said he was under some misapprehension about us and slammed the door and now I’m covered in this sodding rash and seemingly engaged to Toby. At least he thinks we’re engaged.’

    ‘Bloody hell Libs, I don’t know how you do it. I really don’t. I must say that rash looks rather awful.’

Terrific.

She follows my eyes to the door where Toby has just walked in.

    ‘Fuck-a-luck-a-ding-dong, here is the very wanker himself,’ she mumbles.

He grabs a passing waiter, talks to him in an agitated manner and then walks towards us.

    ‘Ah, you’re up,’ he says to me and then to Issy. ‘Whatever you do, don’t eat the eggs, I’ve already complained about them this morning. I had room service last night and the pork chops I ordered must have been off. I had stomach pain all night. I swear they don’t wash their hands here.’