‘Leave me alone,’ I hiss loud enough for him to hear, though quiet enough not to cause a scene.
‘I need to talk to you,’ he says. ‘I thought you’d be pleased to see me. You haven’t even told your parents yet. That has to count for something.’
‘Never get on the wrong side of parents,’ Ivy says breezily as she passes. ‘A mother always knows.’
My mother doesn’t know because we haven’t had that conversation. Yet. In fact, we haven’t spoken for a couple of weeks. It’s an easy pattern to fall into when we live in different time zones. The news of Jon’s cheating needed more words committed to explanation than can be carried in a text.
‘If you’ll excuse us.’ My words are more demand. I match the tone with a swift gesture of me head that says,Move, now!Then, turning on my heel, I walk smack into Kit.
‘We really should stop meeting like this,’ he says, a sad half smile curled on his handsome face.
‘No, agreed. Where we really should meet is on the steps of the Den surrounded by secret paparatizzi.’
His expression falters, and he looks confused. Or is good at feigning so.
‘Well, I was’nae gonna say anything,’ says Nat, folding her arms across her ample chest. ‘But I saw the headlines, too.’
Bemused, Kit’s gaze slides to Natasha as I realise my hands are still on his pecs. I try to move them when he curls his fingers around them lightning quick.
‘What am I missing?’ he asks Natasha. ‘Apart from the bawheid, that is.’
‘Just my mad granny pullin’ everyone’s leg, pretending she’s pure mental. She’s not, by the way. As for the fud’—she hooks her thumb in the direction of Jon—‘he’s just nut juice.’
Ivy starts to laugh, and I see Fin and Rory making their way over to our small crowd.
‘My car broke down, and my phone wouldn’t work over on the island.’ His expression is as dark as his delivery. ‘Just tell me, did you change your mind while I’ve been gone? Is it him?’
‘What, him? God, no!’ I try to pull away once more as Nat begins to regale Fin with the highlights of yesterday’s headlines.A tabloid sting. A politician. Your future brother-in-law is kinky, type of thing.
‘You were there, weren’t you?’ My words are quiet as Kit tries to pull me off to the side.
‘I haven’t been to the club this week. Woman, what’s wrong with you? Yes, so I’m a member of a sex club,’ he addresses our nosy bunch. ‘And I don’t particularly care anymore who knows.’
‘Unicorn for the win!’ calls Natasha, fist-pumping the air.
His dark eyes trained on me once again, Kit takes my breath away.
‘I’ve told you the truth from the beginning. I haven’t hidden who I am. And why the fuck would I go to the Den when I’m in love with you?’
Cue a collective sharp intake of breath. Cue murmurs and whispers and Rory’swhat-the-fuckexclamations. Cue Fin’s placating tones and Nat’s excitedly repeated assertions that Kit is the mythical sexual unicorn.
But none of this is important to us.
‘Y-you love me? How can you know?’
He inhales, looks worried, tightens his hands over mine, and if I’m not mistaken, breaks out in a cold sweat.
‘It’s like... like ice cream. Or... anal. You try it once, and you just know.’
‘What did I tell you!’ calls Nat, though I don’t turn around.
‘After all you’ve put me through, Bea?’ Jon’s words sound plaintive. ‘Bringing me here, making me think I had a chance?’
‘Jon.’ I sound surprised. ‘I’d forgotten you were here. And I didn’twantyou here. I’d be happy never to set eyes on you again.’
‘You know what?’ His face contorts, embarrassed now. Good. I hope he feels completely emasculated. ‘I might have strayed,’ he continues, ‘but you? Fucking the likes ofhimmakes you a whore.’
‘I’d rather be a known as a whore than your girlfriend.’
