said.
‘I don’t know – it probably sounds silly. I mean, it’s not like I’m a virgin or anything, it’s just that I made a deal with myself a couple of years back that the next woman I make love to, I want her to be the one I spend the rest of my life with.’
‘You soppy old romantic, you!’
‘Aren’t I just!’ he agreed.
For the first time since she had met him, Nikki sensed that Matt was slightly embarrassed. Though it would have been the easiest thing in the world to tease him, she refrained from doing so. Instead, she felt a pang of empathy. ‘There’s nothing wrong with that.’
Matt became reflective. ‘Do you still believe in it, then?’
‘What?’
‘Love,’ he murmured.
Nikki wiped an imaginary speck of something out of her left eye. ‘Do you?’
‘I’d like to.’
‘So would I,’ she agreed.
The pair lapsed into silence for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. It was Matt who eventually broke the spell. ‘Sorry.’
‘No apology necessary.’
‘I didn’t mean to ruin the mood,’ he insisted.
‘And you haven’t,’ she assured him.
‘Good. Because from hereon in, you’re in for the wildest few days of your life.’
‘If I want them to be,’ she said.
‘Absolutely. It’s entirely up to you, miss.’
‘Matt, do me a favour – for God’s sake call me Nikki.’
‘Very well, Nikki.’
Sensing that the atmosphere had lightened once more, she decided to give him his next order. ‘Now go and get me another one of your fabulous cocktails.’
He grovelled flamboyantly, causing her to smile. ‘Your wish is my command, mistress.’
‘Ah-ah,’ she said, wagging her finger.
‘Sorry, Mistress Foster.’
‘You’re incorrigible, Mr Darnley.’
‘Thank you. I do try to be.’
He fixed them another drink, then prepared them a light lunch. In Matt’s company, Nikki found that the time flew by quite quickly, to such an extent that she was rather surprised when the pilot’s voice interrupted them to inform them to buckle their seat belts as they were coming in to land. As she tightened the clasp on the belt, she peered out of the window. For a second, she thought that the pilot must have been mistaken, for all that was visible below was a wide expanse of crystal-clear ocean. However, as the plane banked to the right, the island came into view.
Roxanna’s little slice of paradise was much smaller than Nikki had expected. She had visited Jersey and Guernsey once or twice, but the island appeared tinier than either of those two Channel Islands. It didn’t look much bigger than a couple of miles wide by, maybe, three miles long. As the plane descended, Nikki wondered where it was going to land, for all she could see was lush vegetation. Matt explained that Roxanna was extremely sensitive to the local ecosystem, thus her residence and the runway were the only manmade constructions on the island.
‘There are no roads, then?’
‘Nope, just a few sandy paths through the foliage,’ he replied.
‘You make it sound like paradise.’
‘I hope you still think that by Sunday evening.’
‘So do I,’ she said. The plane touched down on the runway and Nikki wondered what adventures lay in store.
Chapter Six
The Palace
As Nikki disembarked from the aircraft, she was slightly relieved to discover that Roxanna wasn’t waiting to greet her personally. She wanted a bit of time to compose herself after the excitement of the in-flight entertainment. Matt gathered her luggage and then guided her over towards the two golf carts waiting at the side of the runway. Nikki went and sat in the front vehicle as Matt stowed her luggage in the one behind. They then set off down a rough dirt path that was just about wide enough for the cart to traverse. Every so often, a trailing branch or creeper would brush against the side of the vehicle. After a few hundred yards, the track became even narrower. The heat rose from the jungle on either side causing Nikki to
‘I don’t know – it probably sounds silly. I mean, it’s not like I’m a virgin or anything, it’s just that I made a deal with myself a couple of years back that the next woman I make love to, I want her to be the one I spend the rest of my life with.’
‘You soppy old romantic, you!’
‘Aren’t I just!’ he agreed.
For the first time since she had met him, Nikki sensed that Matt was slightly embarrassed. Though it would have been the easiest thing in the world to tease him, she refrained from doing so. Instead, she felt a pang of empathy. ‘There’s nothing wrong with that.’
Matt became reflective. ‘Do you still believe in it, then?’
‘What?’
‘Love,’ he murmured.
Nikki wiped an imaginary speck of something out of her left eye. ‘Do you?’
‘I’d like to.’
‘So would I,’ she agreed.
The pair lapsed into silence for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. It was Matt who eventually broke the spell. ‘Sorry.’
‘No apology necessary.’
‘I didn’t mean to ruin the mood,’ he insisted.
‘And you haven’t,’ she assured him.
‘Good. Because from hereon in, you’re in for the wildest few days of your life.’
‘If I want them to be,’ she said.
‘Absolutely. It’s entirely up to you, miss.’
‘Matt, do me a favour – for God’s sake call me Nikki.’
‘Very well, Nikki.’
Sensing that the atmosphere had lightened once more, she decided to give him his next order. ‘Now go and get me another one of your fabulous cocktails.’
He grovelled flamboyantly, causing her to smile. ‘Your wish is my command, mistress.’
‘Ah-ah,’ she said, wagging her finger.
‘Sorry, Mistress Foster.’
‘You’re incorrigible, Mr Darnley.’
‘Thank you. I do try to be.’
He fixed them another drink, then prepared them a light lunch. In Matt’s company, Nikki found that the time flew by quite quickly, to such an extent that she was rather surprised when the pilot’s voice interrupted them to inform them to buckle their seat belts as they were coming in to land. As she tightened the clasp on the belt, she peered out of the window. For a second, she thought that the pilot must have been mistaken, for all that was visible below was a wide expanse of crystal-clear ocean. However, as the plane banked to the right, the island came into view.
Roxanna’s little slice of paradise was much smaller than Nikki had expected. She had visited Jersey and Guernsey once or twice, but the island appeared tinier than either of those two Channel Islands. It didn’t look much bigger than a couple of miles wide by, maybe, three miles long. As the plane descended, Nikki wondered where it was going to land, for all she could see was lush vegetation. Matt explained that Roxanna was extremely sensitive to the local ecosystem, thus her residence and the runway were the only manmade constructions on the island.
‘There are no roads, then?’
‘Nope, just a few sandy paths through the foliage,’ he replied.
‘You make it sound like paradise.’
‘I hope you still think that by Sunday evening.’
‘So do I,’ she said. The plane touched down on the runway and Nikki wondered what adventures lay in store.
Chapter Six
The Palace
As Nikki disembarked from the aircraft, she was slightly relieved to discover that Roxanna wasn’t waiting to greet her personally. She wanted a bit of time to compose herself after the excitement of the in-flight entertainment. Matt gathered her luggage and then guided her over towards the two golf carts waiting at the side of the runway. Nikki went and sat in the front vehicle as Matt stowed her luggage in the one behind. They then set off down a rough dirt path that was just about wide enough for the cart to traverse. Every so often, a trailing branch or creeper would brush against the side of the vehicle. After a few hundred yards, the track became even narrower. The heat rose from the jungle on either side causing Nikki to
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