stucco wall. The adobe brick was still warm from the sunshine that had heated it all day.
Much as she hated to admit it, she was somewhat confused. A part of her felt guilty for having acted so intimately with another woman, while another part of her thrilled at how intense the experience in the Games Room had been. The more she considered it, the more she realised that the slight sensation of guilt wasn’t as negative as she’d first thought. It struck her that the feeling was more akin to what she had felt the first time she had touched herself experimentally when she was younger.
As she began to come to terms with her emotions, Nikki felt a pang of regret about leaving the party early. Maybe she had been a little hasty. A sudden burst of laughter from the room below didn’t help. All too clearly, she could picture what was going on downstairs in the Games Room. As she envisaged the scene, her passions were aroused once more. Catching an excited yell on the breeze, she half contemplated going back downstairs. The party still seemed to be in full swing. She made up her mind there and then that if events the following evening took a similar turn, she would definitely join in and not shy away a second time.
Making the best of a bad job, she decided to turn in for the night. Stepping back into the room, she jumped, startled, for she found Matt standing there.
‘Sorry,’ he apologised. ‘I didn’t mean to frighten you.’
‘It’s OK, I just didn’t hear you come in, that’s all.’
His genuine concern was obvious in his voice as he asked, ‘Are you all right?’
‘Why wouldn’t I be?’
‘I couldn’t help noticing that you didn’t stay long at the party.’
‘I know,’ she said, softly.
‘And you’re wishing you hadn’t left so soon?’
She hesitated before responding. ‘I’m not sure.’
A brief silence followed as they both mulled over the remark.
‘Goodnight, then,’ he said, and made his way over to the door.
Nikki hastened across the room in an attempt to beat him to it. Standing in his way, to prevent his exit, she said, ‘I noticed you were conspicuous by your absence.’
‘After serving the champagne I wasn’t summoned again.’
‘Is that the only reason?’
‘Of course,’ he replied.
‘I thought you might have enjoyed the opportunity to pleasure me,’ she said, in a seductive manner.
‘I’d be delighted to.’
‘So, what’s stopping you right now?’
Matt bit his bottom lip. ‘Nothing, I guess.’
‘But …?’
‘I don’t suppose we could continue this conversation as if I was off duty?’ he said.
‘Are you?’
‘No,’ he replied. ‘Staff on the island are never really off duty.’
‘Yet I sense you’d like to be.’
‘For a few minutes,’ he said.
‘Why?’ she asked.
‘Because if I was, then I could tell you how much I like you.’
‘Oh.’
‘As far as I’m concerned, you’re the most intriguing girl who has ever visited the island.’
‘What on earth makes you say that?’
‘Because you seem so ordinary.’
‘Thanks.’ She tutted.
‘No, I mean that as a compliment,’ he assured her.
‘It doesn’t sound like one.’
‘What I’m trying to say is, you’re not some supermodel or film star or spoilt rich brat.’
‘I might be,’ Nikki countered. ‘This could all be an act and I’m actually an heiress who is set to inherit my multimillionaire daddy’s fortune.’
‘You’re not, though, are you.’ It was a statement rather than a question.
‘How can you be so sure?’
‘For starters, you haven’t been wandering around demanding this, that and the other,’ he said.
‘Is that how people act here?’
‘One or two.’
‘Perhaps I’m one of the nice ones,’ she said.
‘That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I think you are.’
Nikki had never found direct compliments easy to accept and she found it difficult to meet his gaze.
‘Thanks,’ she said.
‘You’re welcome.’
She tried her best to
Much as she hated to admit it, she was somewhat confused. A part of her felt guilty for having acted so intimately with another woman, while another part of her thrilled at how intense the experience in the Games Room had been. The more she considered it, the more she realised that the slight sensation of guilt wasn’t as negative as she’d first thought. It struck her that the feeling was more akin to what she had felt the first time she had touched herself experimentally when she was younger.
As she began to come to terms with her emotions, Nikki felt a pang of regret about leaving the party early. Maybe she had been a little hasty. A sudden burst of laughter from the room below didn’t help. All too clearly, she could picture what was going on downstairs in the Games Room. As she envisaged the scene, her passions were aroused once more. Catching an excited yell on the breeze, she half contemplated going back downstairs. The party still seemed to be in full swing. She made up her mind there and then that if events the following evening took a similar turn, she would definitely join in and not shy away a second time.
Making the best of a bad job, she decided to turn in for the night. Stepping back into the room, she jumped, startled, for she found Matt standing there.
‘Sorry,’ he apologised. ‘I didn’t mean to frighten you.’
‘It’s OK, I just didn’t hear you come in, that’s all.’
His genuine concern was obvious in his voice as he asked, ‘Are you all right?’
‘Why wouldn’t I be?’
‘I couldn’t help noticing that you didn’t stay long at the party.’
‘I know,’ she said, softly.
‘And you’re wishing you hadn’t left so soon?’
She hesitated before responding. ‘I’m not sure.’
A brief silence followed as they both mulled over the remark.
‘Goodnight, then,’ he said, and made his way over to the door.
Nikki hastened across the room in an attempt to beat him to it. Standing in his way, to prevent his exit, she said, ‘I noticed you were conspicuous by your absence.’
‘After serving the champagne I wasn’t summoned again.’
‘Is that the only reason?’
‘Of course,’ he replied.
‘I thought you might have enjoyed the opportunity to pleasure me,’ she said, in a seductive manner.
‘I’d be delighted to.’
‘So, what’s stopping you right now?’
Matt bit his bottom lip. ‘Nothing, I guess.’
‘But …?’
‘I don’t suppose we could continue this conversation as if I was off duty?’ he said.
‘Are you?’
‘No,’ he replied. ‘Staff on the island are never really off duty.’
‘Yet I sense you’d like to be.’
‘For a few minutes,’ he said.
‘Why?’ she asked.
‘Because if I was, then I could tell you how much I like you.’
‘Oh.’
‘As far as I’m concerned, you’re the most intriguing girl who has ever visited the island.’
‘What on earth makes you say that?’
‘Because you seem so ordinary.’
‘Thanks.’ She tutted.
‘No, I mean that as a compliment,’ he assured her.
‘It doesn’t sound like one.’
‘What I’m trying to say is, you’re not some supermodel or film star or spoilt rich brat.’
‘I might be,’ Nikki countered. ‘This could all be an act and I’m actually an heiress who is set to inherit my multimillionaire daddy’s fortune.’
‘You’re not, though, are you.’ It was a statement rather than a question.
‘How can you be so sure?’
‘For starters, you haven’t been wandering around demanding this, that and the other,’ he said.
‘Is that how people act here?’
‘One or two.’
‘Perhaps I’m one of the nice ones,’ she said.
‘That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I think you are.’
Nikki had never found direct compliments easy to accept and she found it difficult to meet his gaze.
‘Thanks,’ she said.
‘You’re welcome.’
She tried her best to
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