The Resort

by M J Hardy

I catch her attention and wave, and she flashes me a brilliant smile.

  Charles looks put out and then sighs. “Ok, it won’t hurt for an hour, I suppose. Make sure you’re back by nine.”

  I nod as he leans in and kisses my cheek, whispering, “That’s my good girl. You know I only have your best interests at heart, don’t you?”

  I nod as he fixes me with a dark look and I shiver inside. When did he become so sinister? I’ve felt it for a while now and know there’s a storm building under the outward sign of composure. It strikes me that I’ve been a little afraid of my husband for a while now, and gradually the mask is slipping and revealing the cracks beneath. Maybe some distance is just what I need because I hate to admit it, but my husband is scaring me.

  Chapter 13

  Emma

  Thank goodness, someone to talk to at last. It’s not much fun being a single woman on holiday, and I feel self-conscious most of the time.

  Evelyn sits down and looks a little shaken and I watch her husband leave and whisper, “Is everything ok?”

  “Not really.”

  She takes a large mouthful of her wine and shakes her head sadly. “It’s Charles, he is, well, he’s just told me something unexpected. I’m still reeling from it.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  Shaking her head, she appears to push it to one side and says brightly, “Not really, in fact, I want to forget about Charles for a moment, I am on holiday, after all.”

  She looks at me with a strange hunger in her eyes. “So, tell me, how has your day been?”

  “Ok, I guess.”

  I shrug. “I mean, this place is seriously five star, they couldn’t do more for me than they have already, but it’s still fairly lonely being on my own.”

  “You won it, didn’t you?”

  I nod and she says kindly, “Couldn’t you find anyone to bring with you?”

  “It was only for one, I would have liked the option though.”

  She looks interested. “Do you have a boyfriend, or husband at home then?”

  “Sadly no, but I have friends who I’m sure would have been happy to accompany me.”

  “That’s so strange because I’m looking around me and apart from that older guy over there, most people are in couples. I wonder why your invitation was only for one.”

  The thought had already occurred to me and I say sadly, “I expect they want to hear from a single traveller too. Maybe I’m the token single female and that guy is the male. The rest are married, or whatever they are, and they didn’t need a family because it’s adults only.”

  “Yes, that’s a little strange too.”

  “Maybe, but it’s becoming more popular now, so I believe, anyway.”

  Evelyn sips her drink and looks around, her gaze settling on the single man in the corner. “I wonder what his story is?”

  “I’m not sure, but he was at the pool earlier. He looks nice enough and is probably glad of the break like we all are.”

  “Hmm.” Evelyn appears distracted and I wonder about her. Outwardly, she has it all. Her husband is impressive, and she is the most well-presented woman I think I’ve ever met, yet there’s an underlying sadness to her that I can’t put my finger on.

  I watch her finish her drink and then she says regretfully, “I should go. Charles told me not to be long, but I couldn’t let you sit here on your own.”

  “You are so kind, thank you.”

  She stands and smiles briefly before leaving, looking a little anxious, and I wonder if Charles is as much a catch as I think because she must have only sat here for ten minutes tops.

  Sighing, I raise my glass to my lips and notice the single man stand and head towards the beach. Perhaps he’s going for a nice stroll to work off his meal. It wouldn’t be a bad idea, but then again, I’m so tired after the flight, I really only want my bed.

  I manage to hang it out for another hour before deciding to head to my room, and as I take the path through reception and wait for the lift, it strikes me how empty this place is and imagine it to be a very different story next week when it opens properly.

  As I step inside the lift, I lean against the mirrored walls wearily and press for floor number 3, dreaming already of the comfortable bed waiting for me.

  I must tune out for a bit because when the lift shudders to a halt and opens, I don’t recognise where I am. Stepping out, I note the hallway has gone and I have walked into a large room with panoramic views of the resort.

  Stepping back, I hit the steel doors and note the lift travelling back the way it came.

  Quickly, I press the button and my heart rate increases because this is apparently someone’s room; it’s obvious by the furniture arranged around the huge open space. It’s modern, luxurious and oozes wealth and good taste. Candles flicker on every surface and I hear soft music coming from hidden speakers.

  Tentatively, I venture in and say loudly, “Um, is anybody here?”

  There’s no answer and I call again, “Hello! I’m sorry, can you help me?”

  A movement by the bifold doors attracts my attention, and my heart starts beating rapidly when I see a shadowy figure watching me.

  “Um, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude, the lift brought me here and well, I’ll just leave.”

  Frantically, I press the call button and then I hear, “Please, don’t be afraid.”

  The voice has an English accent and I take a deep breath and turn, trying hard to see the man the voice belongs to because this voice is husky, deep and a little strained.

  He steps into the room and I see a guy who must be around my age, although he has a beard so I can’t be sure about that. He’s also wearing glasses and appears well dressed in chinos and a black polo shirt. He is holding a glass of spirits in his hand and he looks at me with curiosity.

  “You must have arrived today.”

  “I did.” I swallow hard because finding myself in a room with a stranger is not what I had planned for this evening and I take a step back, willing the lift to arrive.

  He looks at me with interest and says pleasantly, “How are you finding it – your stay, I mean? Are the facilities to your liking?”

  “I can’t fault them, it’s amazing.”

  My voice is strained because I would give anything to get the hell out of here and he nods, apparently satisfied. “That’s good to hear.”

  “So, um, do you live here, work here maybe?”

  He laughs softly, but I fail to see the joke.

  “Kind of both.”

  “In what way?”

  He nods towards his rather oversized settee and smiles. “Would you care to join me for a drink, it would be good to hear your views on my resort?”

  “Your resort.” I stare at him in shock and he nods. “For my sins.”

  “So, it was your competition that brought me here?”

  “You could say that.”

  “Well, um, thank you, very much actually. I couldn’t believe I won.”

  He smiles and raises his glass and says lightly, “Please, share a drink with me…”

  “Emma, um, Emma Stone, thank you.”

  Deciding it would be incredibly rude to refuse, I venture in tentatively, keeping my eyes on him at all times. Despite the situation I’m in, I’m curious to discover more about him and as I perch on the edge of my seat, I take the glass of liquid he offers me and wrap my hands around it tightly, desperately trying to get my breathing under control.

  He sits opposite and stares at me so hard, I feel a little self-conscious. Maybe I have something on my face. God forbid it’s part of that lobster I ate, that would just about sum up my life.

  He stares at me thoughtfully and then he says, “I’m glad you came, maybe you will let me show you the resort personally.”

  As his words register, I wait for the excuses to spill from my lips because I am always so guarded but maybe it’s the intoxicating setting, the fact I’m thousands of miles away from home, or the brandy he’s given m
e but I say slightly breathlessly, “I would like that.”

  Chapter 14

  Kim

  Jack disappears into the distance and I struggle to breathe, the tears finding an outlet and streaming down my face.

  He wants a divorce.

  This time next week we could be calling solicitors. What will I do, how will I live without him?

  For a while, I just sit on the sand listening to the waves crashing to shore and try to understand what just happened. There was no warning, no idea this was going to happen because we were happy today. Just sex, he said. I feel like such a fool as every little memory comes back to bite me.

  When was the last time we talked, really talked? How many times has he sat apart from me on planes? He always has an excuse not to talk. There’s the television at home, the programme he wants to watch, the email he must reply to. The phone calls and the need to get an early night. It’s only now I realise Jack hasn’t tried for some time and I wonder if he’s hiding something. Maybe it’s because I push him to start a family. Perhaps he has the inability to do so and can’t bring himself to tell me. I can’t believe he doesn’t want a family, surely everyone does.

  My tears dry as I think more about the reasons why he’s dropped this bombshell on the first night of our holiday. What good does it achieve? We have seven days together. Why break up now?

  The more I think about it, the more I doubt his reasons. There’s something troubling him, and I have exactly seven days to discover what that is.

  Sadly, I retrace my footsteps along the beach and head for the hotel. I can see my fellow guests enjoying an after-dinner drink on the terrace and divert my route around them through the trees. I don’t want to face anyone and certainly not see how happy they all are. I’ll just head back to the room and wait for him. Maybe he will regret this, then again…

  Sighing, I am so deeply wrapped in my thoughts, I don’t think about the route I have taken and a rustling in the bushes makes my heart skip a beat. I quicken my pace hoping it’s just an animal, but the rustling follows me and I feel sick. Someone’s there, in the bushes and they are following me.

  I don’t know why, but it’s as if I know something bad is going to happen. It’s a sixth sense, something I’ve had a few times before, and I was always right. So, I start to run, stumbling a little as I go, and I stifle a sob as the sound travels with me.

  By now I am running and only the bright lights of the hotel guide me because I’m in the shadows and I berate myself for being so damned stupid.

  I risk a look behind me but see nothing, and as I turn to the front, I run into a hard body and scream.

  A hand clamps over my mouth and a firm voice says, “It’s ok, you’re safe, what is it?”

  Looking up, I see the smart gentleman from the plane and I gasp, “Oh thank god, I think someone’s in those bushes and they’re following me.”

  He looks past me and frowns. “Wait there.”

  “But…”

  “It’s fine, if there is someone there, I’ll flush them out.”

  He marches toward the bush and calls loudly, “I know you’re in there, come out and show yourself.”

  The only sound is my heavy breathing and the distant call of a nocturnal creature.

  He heads back and shakes his head. “You shouldn’t be out here alone, anything could happen.”

  “I’m sorry.” I stare at him meekly and he says with concern.

  “You’ve had a shock, come, I’ll take you inside, find you a brandy, or your husband if you prefer.” He smiles and I shake my head and shiver. “The brandy sounds good; I doubt my husband would care, anyway.”

  Once again fresh tears fall and he looks concerned.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

  He takes my arm and pulls me along with him, and it strikes me how kind he is. Nothing like Jack, just a kind man helping a stranger.

  We head inside and he guides me towards the bar and says loudly, “Two brandies please.”

  The bartender nods and before long we have hold of them and I proceed to empty the glass in one go.

  He smiles and says to the bartender. “Another one I think and make it a double this time.”

  We take a seat on two bar stools and he looks at me with concern. “There, that must feel better.”

  “Thank you, it does.”

  I smile shyly and notice how attractive he is close up. More than I thought, and there is something nice about having him by my side.

  “So, what made you go for a lonesome walk on the beach?” He looks concerned and I sigh heavily. “I wasn’t alone – at first, anyway.”

  “What happened?”

  He looks confused and I say sadly, “My husband dropped a bit of a bombshell on me and left.”

  “The resort?”

  “No, just me.” Once again, the tears build and I try to blink them away as he frowns. “So, let me get this straight. Your husband left you abandoned alone on the beach in the pitch black in a foreign country.”

  “Yes.” I try not to look at him and he shakes his head. “Whatever his reasons, he should be strung up. What sort of man does that to a lady, especially his lady?”

  “He was angry.”

  “No excuse.” He seems genuinely annoyed and once again I feel a surge of jealously for his glamorous wife. She doesn’t know how lucky she is to have a man like that by her side.

  He smiles gently. “So, what will you do now?”

  “Go back to the room and wait for him I suppose.”

  “Hmm, maybe you shouldn’t.”

  “Why not?”

  He grins. “Make him worry for a bit. In fact, make him worry a lot.”

  “How?”

  “There’s a movie running in the cinema suite, it’s one I fancy watching, why don’t you join me?”

  “But your wife, won’t she miss you?”

  A flash of bitterness passes across his face as he says tightly, “I doubt it. She will be too busy with her new-found friend to care. They are probably drinking themselves senseless as we speak.”

  “Her friend?”

  “A woman she met by the pool. Maybe we should both remind our spouses of their loyalties. So, what do you say, would you like to share some popcorn with me?”

  He reaches out and takes my hand and as he helps me from my stool, I feel a shiver of excitement pass through me. This is unexpected but nice. Nice to do something different, with someone different, and the icing on the cake will be if Jack returns and finds me missing. Maybe he will think twice about his conversation when he thinks I’ve gone.

  Chapter 15

  Evelyn

  Against every warning siren in my head, I find myself hovering outside the gym. It’s so silent here, there is nobody around and only my rapid heartbeat to keep me company.

  I am so nervous I jump at the slightest sound, and yet there’s a sense of anticipation building that sets me on fire. I’m loving this. The thrill of not knowing what’s going to happen. The forbidden element, the sense of doing something wrong. It’s like a huge shot of adrenalin that I badly need in my life, and I wonder what Charles would say if he knew of my intentions.

  I hear footsteps approaching and my heart rate increases and I daren’t turn around. This is it; I’m really going to do this and as a hand wraps around my eyes, I am pulled against a hard body and hear a husky, “Good girl.”

  My heart flutters as he begins to kiss my neck and I gasp as a delicious shiver runs through me. He nips at my skin and as I moan, he whispers, “In here.”

  I find myself thrust into a darkened room that can only be described as a large cupboard and before I know it, my dress is ripped off and I am pushed facing the wall. I hear a zipper and start to shake as he stands behind me and growls, “You are one naughty girl.”

  As he thrusts inside, I briefly tense because something about this feels so wrong and dirty, and yet I’m loving every minute as he pushes into me and strips me of every principle I own.<
br />
  The fact it’s pitch black only adds to the excitement. It almost makes it acceptable because I can’t see the man I shouldn’t have. Another woman’s husband, a stranger but a man I want more than I want my morality it seems.

  Sex with Jack is so different. So exciting, compelling even, and I almost welcome the fact he strips away any dignity I have and ruins me forever.

  It’s such a confined space which makes the heat build and feeling him hard inside me makes me lose my mind. I love this, the danger, and the fact it’s so wrong, is turning me on way more than I thought. I don’t even think about our partners who are probably wondering where we are. For now I’m enjoying a moment that’s just for me. Something Charles can’t control; emancipation from a marriage I feel trapped in. This is all about me and what I want. What I do with my body, my own choice, and I become a little wild as I give him back as good as he gives me.

  Sex with Jack is exhilirating, slightly dirty and passionate, nothing like the usual act of going through the motions with Charles. Now I know what all the fuss is about as I feel the orgasm tearing through me as I crave even more.

  He clamps his hand around my mouth as I scream in ecstasy. Then before I’ve even recovered, I hear the door slam behind me, leaving me a quivering, lust filled, dirty mess.

  The walk of shame is an interesting one because after doing my best to clean myself up, I edge the door open a crack to check that the coast is clear.

  As I dust myself down, I feel like a wicked woman as I start a slow walk back to my room. Despite everything, I would do it again; I hope to do it again because this is the last shred of control I have. The one thing Charles can’t own - my body.

  Now I’ve sampled the freedom it gives me; I like it and I’m already planning my next encounter. It feels so good, so forbidden and so wrong, and I don’t even spare a thought for Jack’s wife.

  She gets him all the time, let someone else have the pleasure for once. I’m not sure how I’ve forgotten to bring my morals with me, but it’s as if the usual rules don’t apply here. I mean, he said himself, their marriage is hanging by a thread, possibly over. I can relate to that, so what’s the harm in colouring outside the edges from time to time.