Chapter 18

I can’t believe it’s been two weeks already. Two weeks of being Mrs Will Hunter. Two weeks of sun, sea, and sex in this luxurious tropical paradise. And we still have one more to go. If this is what our marriage will be like, I’ll die a happy, happy woman.

We’ve run into Will’s father a couple of times. Michael. Apparently. Will even accepted the drink he offered him. I supposed that he didn’t really see it as something from his dad, since this place is all-inclusive and he owns it.

So, I am very surprised when Michael stands as we enter the casual dining terrace for breakfast and offers us a seat, and Will takes it.

Will pulls out my chair and I sit. He kisses my bare shoulder and takes the seat beside mine.

“Morning, Will. Eva.” Michael smiles, and I can’t help looking for similarities. They definitely have the same eyes.

“I’m glad you could make it.” Make it? This was planned? Woah! I glance at Will. He’s tense.

“Me too,” I tell him. I am. I am glad that Will is ready for this. I reach across and rest my hand on Will’s knee. His muscles are rock hard. Tensed.

“Yep. I don’t know what they do to it, but it’s bloody amazing. I could eat it by the bucketful.”

“It’s that good?” Michael scans the menu, his face pulled to one side as though he wouldn’t eat it if he were starving.

“It really is. But then, there’s not much that I wouldn’t eat at the moment.” His eyes meet mine, an uncertain smile flickering across his lips. “February.” I answer his unspoken question.

“We have two girls. And this one,” Will says, resting his hand on my belly. “I know, I know...it might be a boy.” He gives me a cheeky look. “But it’s not.” He leans in and pecks my lips lightly.

The conversation begins stunted. Awkward. But the longer we sit, the easier it becomes. Will starts to relax, leaning back in his chair and sipping his coffee, and Michael looks happier too.

When I’m finished eating, way before the men, I reach for my phone in my bag and raise my eyes to Will’s, asking if it’s okay. He smiles and inclines his head, just a little.

“Mae and Summer. Mae looks like her dad. Summer’s not so lucky.” I push my phone across the table, the screensaver illuminated and two cheeky little faces beaming at their grandfather.

“Summer is as beautiful as her mum,” Will interjects. “She could be your double.”

Michael places his cutlery down and grasps my phone in both of his hands, his nose just a few inches from the screen like he wants to dive in and grab them. “I have two granddaughters?”

“Would you like to come over to the villa later? We’re having a barbecue.” Are we? I hold my breath and wait. Michael looks like he might cry, and Will looks like he can’t believe he just said that.

“I would love that. Thank you,” Michael says quietly, his breath shallow and shaky. He’s waiting for Will to change his mind.

“Good.” Will nods firmly and stabs the last piece of omelette on his plate with his fork, and it quickly disappears, chased down with the last dregs of his coffee. “We’ll see you there. Around twelve?”

“Okay.” Will and I wander slowly along the meandering pathways, in the direction of our private beach house. As it comes into view, I can see that the front door is wide open. What the hell? I glance at Will, and he flashes me a smile. Okay...?

And then I see them. “Muma!” Summer squeals, and rushes at me like a hurricane, closely followed by Mae. “Hi!” I squeal back and crouch down, my arms open wide and ready to catch them.

“Oh my God! You’ve grown!” I squeeze and kiss them, again and again, tears welling in my stupid pregnant eyes.

“Hola, Señora Hunter. Un buen lugar que tienes aquí." My head snaps up, and Bells is walking towards me, a wide smile on her face, Gary at her side, their fingers intertwined.

“Oh my God! Hi!” But I squeal like a complete lunatic when Davey jogs out of the door... with Nikki.

“Oh...! I’m not sure I want to know!” I squeak, and surrender to the multitude of arms that squeeze me tight. “You and Nikki?” I whisper in Davey’s ear when I reach him.

“Wow!” I giggle when Nikki gives me a one-armed hug, since Davey isn’t letting go of her. We walk back inside, clutching two small hands, and I find that the surprises aren’t done. “Mum!” I laugh as she emerges from the living room with Mary. “Hi, Mary!” Wow! It’s a real family holiday.

“Plan!” Bells agrees, and practically skips out of the patio doors. She’s never happier than on a beach with a cocktail in her hand. A virgin cocktail will have to do today.

The little thatched hut has been opened up to reveal that it is, in fact, a beach bar. And a salad bar and buffet table have been set up in our absence, along with a huge barbecue. There’s a chef and three waitstaff—all very eager to meet Will’s family it seems, judging by the wide smiles and super-friendly attentiveness.

The girls won’t leave my side. Not that I mind. I constantly have both hands occupied by a smaller one cocooned within it. “Do you like it here, Mae?” I ask. She nods eagerly.

“It’s my best w-one,” she says seriously. “Pawis is good, cuz I luff Euwo Disney, and W-ome do the best ice cream. And pizza.”

“Err...” I look down at Summer’s pleading face. “You’ll have to ask Will, sweet pea.” And I gasp when they dash off across the sand, calling out, “Daddy!” Both of them. Daddy.

Will says something to Davey, and then looks across at them, a beer bottle gripped loosely in his hand. I see it when it registers with him too. He blinks. And a slow smile lights up his face, until he’s beaming brighter than the sun.

When his eyes meet mine, I’m smiling just as widely. I turn away, before I can cry, and face the ocean.

A swim. That’s what I need. I pull my sundress over my head, and leave it where it falls on the sand, before I wander down to the crystal-blue water.

It’s still a thrill every time I step into the waves and the water is warm. I wade out a little way, waist-deep, my hands floating on the surface, riding the smooth rise and fall of the water around me. I love it here so much. I really don’t want to go home. I’m so lost in thought I don’t hear Gary at all, and jump when he touches my arm. I spin around.

“Well... I mean, I didn’t want to mention it, but...” He laughs when I splash him.

“Worried.” His eyes hit mine. “I think I screwed up my relationship with my best friend. She’s practically my sister.” I look away, biting my lip and demanding that the stupid hormones fuck off.

“Maybe you did,” I admit. I’m not sure things can ever be the same between us. I hear his quick breath.

“I hope to God that’s not true, Eva.” I glance back at his desperate face. “I was scared. My wife had just left me. Taken all her shit and gone. My pregnant wife. And all I had to go on was a printed-out email...that looked like it was from you.

“I should have known. I should have asked more questions. I should have seen right through it. But...I needed a reason. I needed to blame someone. I am so, so sorry that it was you, sweets.” I drop my gaze, and he steps in closer. “I really want us to be okay again. But I get it if you can’t forgive me. I don’t think I would either.”

“Was it just an email, or something else too?” I see Gary’s breath suck in under his ribs.

“Eva.” He steps in closer still and takes my hands. “If you see that. You’ll never get it out of your head. You’ll start wondering. Who, how, where, why? You’ll be physically sick, knowing that Will saw it. Even knowing it’s all a lie. It’ll drive you nuts. Please, please let us take care of it. Will, Davey, and me.”

“Far enough to know my father is involved.” Gary’s hands tighten on mine when I recoil.

“You will never see him again.” Gary releases my hands and slowly reaches his arms around me, and I know I have to let it go. Try to understand it from his perspective. What would I have done in his position? Probably exactly the same thing. It’s not Gary’s fault. My shoulders drop and relax, and I lift my arms around Gary too, my cheek resting on his shoulder. “You need to eat?” he asks after a couple of minutes.

“Of course.” I roll my eyes. “I’m even hungry when I’m asleep. I dream about food.”

“Yeah?” Gary chuckles. He reaches around for my hand and guides me safely back to shore. “Let’s feed all the pregnant women then, before there’s a bloody riot.”

I wander over to the buffet table, where Marina is faffing and repositioning everything just so while talking on her mobile. I smile at her as I take a plate and fill it with fruit and nuts. She returns the gesture, glowing, as she watches me piling up the melon and taking another hunk to eat right this second. Will marches over and plucks the phone from her grasp.

“Marina is at a family event for the rest of the day. If you can’t sort it out yourself, find someone who can.” He disconnects the call with a pointed tap, and Marina throws herself into his arms. Will’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise, but only for a second, before he wraps his arms around her too. “Call the boys. They’re all invited.” Will smiles softly at Marina’s gasp and nods to confirm she heard him right.

“It’s such a pity Jack couldn’t come,” Marina hiccups. Will’s eyes flick to mine and I busy myself with selecting a snack. “You think he’ll ever come around to the relationship way of thinking?”

“Oh, I think if he found the right woman, Jack would be settled down with kids and a mortgage.” My gaze lifts slowly to his, at the cutting tone, a grimace threatening my features.

“What makes you think that?” Marina scoffs, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand. “He’s such a man-whore.” Is he? Scott? I never got that impression at all. He didn’t seem at all interested in Al... oh. Oh! Shit! Will might be right. He might have thought...he and I...oh! God!

“Have you met Jack, Eva?” she asks me, dispelling any ideas I may have had about sneaking away.

“I tried to persuade him to stay. He was such a help around here.” Now, she has my full attention. Davey?

“Nothin’ you need to worry ‘bout, Blue.” Davey reaches over my shoulder and grabs a fistful of my nachos. I swat his hand.

“Hey! Get your own.” He places one slowly in his mouth and crunches. Loudly. My eyes narrow and he winks, giving me a smile.

“Hey, Marina.” Davey wanders across and hugs Marina like they’re old friends. My eyes flick between them as I wonder what the hell he could have helped with.

“You were only here for a couple of weeks. Surely, even you couldn’t get involved with anything on a two-week holiday?”

“Oh, you’d be surprised what I can do, Blue.” I glance at Will, who’s suddenly studying the dips. Hmm. He knows something.

“Oh, you’d be surprised.” My eyebrows jump up, and Davey’s nose twitches. Now he’s worried. I smirk. Oh yeah, I could make him tell me. I know exactly the spot.

“And your mum, Joyce?” Marina babbles in a fluster. Her cheeks are flushed, her voice high-pitched. “She seems like such a lovely lady. She must be so proud of you two.”

“Why?” I drop my plate and dip on the table, harder than I intended to. Davey’s eyes flick to the plate as though he’s expecting it to be broken.

“Eva...” I cross my arms and wait, my eyebrow arched high enough for him to be sure I’m not giving in.

“Eva.” Will’s voice is soft and seductive. It swirls around me like a lover’s caress. My breathing stutters, and I blink rapidly. Will steps in front of me, blocking out the rest of the world.

Will leans in, and when I think he’s going to peck my lips, he nuzzles and kisses my neck. I melt on the spot. Exactly what I didn’t want. Bastard.

When I open my eyes, Davey and Marina have gone, leaving Will and me alone in the thatched hut. “Christ, I love pregnancy. All those hormones. I bet I could...” I swat his hand away when it slides up my thigh. He leans in closer. “You know it, baby.” He grasps my fingers and raises them to his lips, making me smile despite my feeble attempts at irritation, and leads me back towards the villa.

The front door is standing wide open, but everyone looks around when Michael walks in. “Hi, everyone.” His voice is unsteady. He’s nervous. So nervous he’s sweating. And I can’t stand watching him suffer.

“Hi, Michael!” I sing and rush over to greet him. “Come on in. Meet everyone.”

“This is my mum, Joyce.” I introduce him as Mum rushes our way with two drinks in her hands. I must get it from her. She hates to see someone so uncomfortable too.

“Hi.” Mum gives him a brilliant smile and hands him a drink. Michael blinks. A lot. Mum looks at me, waiting for the introduction. “This is Michael...he’s...” Oh, God. What am I supposed to say?

“My dad.” Will finishes for me, and I almost slump in relief. Mum’s eyes move from Will to Michael. And back again. Then to me. I smile. Yep. Really.

“Oh! Well, I’m really glad to meet you now. You’re family,” Mum gushes. “Davey? Nikki? Come here. Do you know Will’s dad, Michael?” she calls. Davey walks over, slower than usual. He’s sizing him up, Nikki’s hand grasped in his.

“I know who he is,” Davey says, his voice low enough to get Nikki’s attention. She looks at him sharply, then walks her fingertips up his forearm, and he blinks. His face totally transforms. And Mum and I need to pick our jaws up.

“Hey.” Bells introduces herself, throwing me a scowl that says, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll do it myself.” I breathe a laugh, and Gary’s hand closes around mine in a quick squeeze. I glance up at him questioningly and see it very plainly. He knows about Michael too. Huh.

When Mae and Summer run inside from the beach, squealing excitedly with Mary and Marina, Michael is desperately trying to look around people to get a glimpse of his grandchildren. I excuse myself and go collect them.

“Hi, Mary. Marina.” I smile. “I need to borrow these two for just a few minutes.” Both ladies nod. And I hear Marina’s gasp. Her hand flies to her mouth, her eyes so wide they’re in danger of falling out. “Today, they get another grandparent.” I smile at Mary’s shocked expression. But I’m actually a bit concerned about Marina. I give her a quick visual once-over. She seems okay. Kind of.

“Come on, girls, there’s someone special I want you to meet,” I call, and get two little sandy monkeys running my way. I lead them over to where Michael has gathered quite the crowd around himself, and catch Will’s eye. He frowns, sucking his bottom lip between his teeth. But he nods. I raise an eyebrow. Are you sure? He nods again and dislodges himself from the crowd.

“Hello, little angels.” He crouches down, eye to eye with his daughters. “Do you want to meet my dad?”

Both girls gasp and giggle, nodding frantically while jumping up and down. Will stands and takes each of their hands and leads them over to meet their grandfather for the first time.

The crowd parts to let them through, and Michael falls to his knees with tears streaming down his face. Summer is about a second and a half faster than Mae, in pulling free from Will’s grasp and running into Michael’s outstretched arms.

I move in closer and wrap my arms around Will. I can feel him shaking. I squeeze him tighter but hide my face in his T-shirt when Mae says, “I always wanted a gwan-dad.” I feel Will’s hiccup-like gasp.

“Well, now you both have one,” he says. I feel his abs tighten. I know he’s wondering... He’s wondering if Michael will let them down. If they really have a grandfather. I peek over at the three of them, huddled together. Michael is still kneeling—smiling and crying at the same time—with his head between the girls. And I think they do. I think they have a granddad now.

“Hey, Mrs Hunter.” I turn on my bar stool, perched beside Bells, and see Nikki walking our way across the beach.

“Hey!” I call out, and she takes the bar stool on my other side. “How are you?”

“Oh, I’m great. Amazing, actually.” My face screws up at her loved-up, misty-eyed expression. “How could I not be? I’m...”

“Jesus Christ! Stop it!” I press my palms harder to my ears. And Bells jumps on the bloody bandwagon.

“Oh! My! God!” I screech. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! La-la-la-la-la!” I’m wishing I could scrub my brain clean, and those two are falling all over the place laughing. “This is not as cool as I thought it’d be!” I shout over their noise. “The pair of you are terrible sisters-in-law!”

When they’re almost coherent again, I slowly lower my hands. “I don’t know what you’re complaining about, Adams. Your husband is hotter than hell.”

“He’s my husband. Not my bloody brother! Would you want to know about it if I were sleeping with Carlo?”

Bells is unconcerned with my theoretical hookup. “My brother and you? It’d never happen.”

“No.” Bells giggles, trying to compose herself, and splutters when she catches Nikki’s eye. “Definitely not!”

“Oh my God, that man could make vibrators obsolete—if I were ever going to share him. Which I’m not,” Nikki gushes.

“Nikki!” I screech, my hands back on my ears, and they both double over laughing, their faces smooshed against the bar.

“Oh, God, I’m sorry, Eva... It’s just...” Nikki is wiping her eyes and hiccupping.

“Stop what?” Will is grinning, but puzzled, when he spins me around on my stool to face him.

“Ooohhh.” Will smiles devilishly. “Well, believe me, baby, they don’t want to know either. The boys I mean.”

“What?” Will looks from Bells to Nikki, both egging him on. I’m seriously questioning my choice in friends when they’re hanging on his every word. And he’s lapping it up. I screw my eyes shut and drum my fingers on my skull, squashing my ears flat against my head with the pressure, until it hurts, and I have to ease up a bit.

“...Did you ever try that? I stopped counting at four. But it went on quite a while after, so... I’m guessing six or seven...” I peek out from my screwed-up lids. Nikki and Bells are both silent. Thank God! And gaping. At Will. Crap!

“You married a sex god,” Nikki chokes. Will chuckles and kisses my shoulder.

“Me too.” Will and I both turn to watch them practically sprint for their men and drag them away.

“No?” Will’s voice has dropped to that velvet tone. The one that floors me. Every. Bloody. Time. “Would you rather I showed you?” His knuckles graze my cheekbone, and suddenly I do want to know something else.

“Sweetheart, you know that we’ve had issues to deal with. While Davey was here, we had an unexpected problem. He dealt with it for us.” His hands curl lightly around my arms, and glide to midway down my forearms, then his fingertips skate across my belly. “This was the deal, Eva. Remember? You carry this...”

“And you’ll carry that.” Will nods, purposefully, his eyes on fire. His hands move around my waist and he steps in, chest to chest, and slowly lowers his mouth to mine.

On one level, I know what he’s doing, seducing his wife into compliance, and I’m pissed off that it’s working. And on another, I don’t bloody care as long as he doesn’t stop. His kiss is scorching but soft. Hot but gentle. I want more. He knows exactly what he’s doing.

“How long were you a honeytrap?” I breathe when he lets me. He pauses, his hands in my hair.

“How many?” I don’t know why I’m asking this now. Put it down to the hormones. And curiosity. I want to know how he got so bloody good. “I want to know.”

“Wouldn’t you?” Will’s eyebrows pull together, and he sucks his bottom lip through his teeth.

“Like... fifty?” I swallow hard. Fifty. Fifty women who know what it’s like to be with him.

“So... less?” My eyes widen. “More? A hundred?” He shakes his head and drops his gaze briefly.

“It doesn’t matter, Eva.” His voice has descended a few octaves again; his thumb traces my cheekbone. I step back, suddenly furious that he won’t ever give me a straight answer. Will’s eyes travel over my face. My unblinking eyes. My clenched teeth. My set jaw. And I see it when he decides he’ll have to tell me. There’s something about his eyes. “Around six hundred and twenty.”

A blast of laughter shoots from my belly. Until I realise he’s being serious. He means it.

“Six hundred and twenty!” I screech. Oh, holy fuck. Six hundred and twenty married women. “But...how many of them did you...?” Will’s expression is pained, and I gasp. “All of them?” I whisper. He nods once, not meeting my eyes, and I feel sick. My breathing is as shaky as my hands.

Why did I ask? Why did he tell me! Why does my entire fucking family have to be here now?

“Great idea. Come on.” I hold out both hands, and they are immediately snatched up by two little monkeys.

I’m practically running for the door. And it’s nothing to do with keeping up with the girls. Six. Hundred. And twenty. Fuck!

I breathe a little easier the further we are from the villa, but I can’t get the image out of my head. His hands on someone else. On the blonde. His lips. His tongue. His body. His breath in her ear.

I bite my lip hard when tears well up in my eyes, and lower my sunglasses from my head onto my face.

“This way!” Mae calls out, and she and Summer dash off ahead. Six hundred and twenty. Making me just one of many. The latest in a very long line.

When I catch up with the girls, Summer is ordering herself an ice cream sundae, and Mae is fidgeting, her hair swishing as she swings from side to side.

“What would you like, sweet pea?” I ask her, my fingers lightly raking her hair.

“Chocwat, pease,” she says quietly. I nod, and she peeks up at me. “You go ahead and order.” Mae stares at me blankly. I glance at the attendant, to let him know to give us a sec, and he’s frozen, looking just as blank. I’m about to ask when Mae says, “I’m not allowed.”

“She means she’s not allowed to talk to the staff,” the attendant says. “That’s Will Hunter’s daughter, right?”

“But I just spwoke to you.” Summer frowns, her bottom lip verging on pouty. The attendant looks confused.

“Are you her new nanny?” he asks me, his eyes flicking between my girls.

“Excuse me?”

“Because they should have told you...he doesn’t let her interact with any of the staff or guests. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

“Mae, do you want ice cream?” I try to keep my voice calm. Not to growl. She nods. “Then go ahead and order yourself an ice cream.” That’s absurd! She’s terrified. “Chocolate sundae?” She nods, her eyes wide. “So, tell the man that, and he’ll get it for you.”

“Look, lady, I think you should stick to the rules, or we’re both gonna get fired.”

“Go ahead, Mae. Tell him what you’d like.” I smile and nod encouragingly.

“Chocwat sundae, pease.” It’s so quiet he couldn’t have heard her, but he must know by now what she would like. I just wanted her to say it.

“And a lemonade,” Summer pipes up. “Pease.” I glance at Mae, my eyebrows raised in question.

“Tad. I see you’ve met my wife and daughters.” Will is right behind us. I inch forward but glance over my shoulder.

“Daddy, why cwan’t we speak to anywon?” Summer asks, her little hands on her hips.

“Yeah, Daddy. Why not?” I bite, spinning around. Will’s eyes flick to mine briefly with a frown, and then he crouches between the girls.

“You can speak to whomever you like. As long as there’s an adult with you. It’s an outdated version of reality. That doesn’t apply anymore.”

“It’s not a rule anymore. It’s how things used to be.” He stands and addresses the attendant. “I’ll let the staff know.” The guy nods mutely back at him.

“So, two ice cream sundaes and two lemonades please, Tad,” I reiterate. “As soon as you’re ready.” I smile sweetly when his tormented eyes meet mine. Will’s hand slides over my belly, and I push it away. I really don’t want him to touch me. Not right now.

“Me? I’m surprised you remember my name. Six hundred and twenty is a lot to remember.” I don’t know what I expected. I don’t know why I’m so upset. I don’t know why I fucking asked!

I snatch up the ice creams as soon as they touch the counter, and make a dash for the girls.

Will joins us after a minute, with the lemonades and a virgin mango daiquiri. He sits in the only empty chair, beside mine.

“So, what do you think, Summer? Do you like our hotel in Mexico?” Will asks as he settles himself comfortably, leaning forward and resting his forearms on the table.

“Yep. It’s good. I fink it would be better with a water-side though.” She shrugs and shovels more ice cream into her mouth.

“Anything else you’d add?” I can feel it every time his eyes flick in my direction.

“Hey, Will,” a woman in a bikini coos. A bikini is a very loose interpretation of the tiny scraps of material she has plastered to her perfectly toned, perfectly tanned body. “I was hoping I’d bump into you again.”

“Maybe a few less guests? You ready, girls? We’ll take the ice cream with us. I’ll bring your drinks.”

“Hewow. I’m Summer.” Summer introduces herself to the gaping woman. “That’s my sister, Mae.” The woman’s eyes flick from face to face. “Are yow my Daddy’s fwend?” The woman stutters, trying to find words. I suppose it’s hard to explain a fuck buddy to a four-year-old.

“No, angel. She’s a guest here. It was good to see you. Excuse us.” He takes a lemonade from my grasp and then my hand. The girls rush off ahead, and the woman recovers her ability to speak.

“You should know we slept together the last time I was here,” she sneers with a satisfied smirk.

“Yeah? Don’t get too excited. You’re probably number six hundred and twenty-one. You must be so proud. Or was she included in that first figure?” I look up at Will expectantly, but he only gazes back at me. I turn and walk after the girls, leaving Will to reminisce with what’s her face.