The Only Way is Up

Part Fifty Eight

Chapter Fifty Eight

The cabana was a luxurious bed with billowing drapes and a collection of pillows that were as comfortable as they looked. Any qualms that Nicole had about still being damp from the pool were long gone as a series of members of staff brought them fantastic and exotic nibbles, she felt truly pampered. And it was mid afternoon before fatigue really hit her.

Maxim nudged her and whispered, "couple's massage, later?"

The groan that met that was involuntary, and he looked up in surprise, "no?"

She sighed, "I'm exhausted...and hot and bothered."

"A massage is meant to be relaxing..."

"...so is sleep."

He grinned, "really? You want to go to bed?"

She groaned again, "do you have to waggle your eyebrows as you say that?"

He chuckled, "you were the woman that never slept, I always struggled to keep up with you..."

Leaning in, her lips touching his ears, she replied, "well that was until you got your seed in me Casanova."

She could hear him gasp at that, then he turned so his lips were close to her ear, "I am desperate to do that again...you have no idea."

It was her turn to groan, they had been winding each other up all day...or rather she had been teasing him. Now the tables had well and truly turned, she could blame her desire on her raging hormones, but truth be told she was desperate for him to...if she wasn't so bloody tired.

Maxim's arms had wrapped around her, and she leaned in to him, giving up on her last vestige of resistance. His lips stayed at her ear as he breathed, "there is nothing I want more than to kiss you...but if I start that now, I have no idea when I'd be able to stop. And you're exhausted...you need to rest..."

There was a huge unspoken ending to that comment, as he stood, drew her to her feet, then led her back to their rooms. Kissing her on the nose, a hugely restrained gesture, he pushed her gently in the direction of her room.

As the door closed, she peeled off the beachwear, and slid naked between the cool, smooth sheets.

Max couldn't concentrate at the thought of Nicole behind the door, sleeping without him. He wasn't in the mood for sitting in the sun...if he started drinking vodka at this time; he had no idea when he'd stop. He was so tense, wound taught. He couldn't take the massage without her, that wouldn't be right, so instead he did what he knew best, changed into workout gear and headed to the air conditioned gym.

No matter how hard he hit the punch bag, how fast he pedalled on the bike, or how many kilos he lifted in a bench press, Nicole was always there, keeping his body on the edge of lust, primed ready, waiting for her. The sweat was pouring off him in bucket loads, but that didn't seem to affect the way his libido was keeping him alert. He wanted to drop into a bed, sleep, rest, find some calm...but there was no chance of that, he had to face another six days of this torture. For the first time he wondered if he could cope with the rest of this trip. It was hell, a living torturous hell, and he wasn't sure he could survive.

The villa was empty, Nicole could tell that the moment she opened her eyes. She stretched languorously, the high thread count Egyptian cotton sheets were the most comfortable she'd ever slept on.