‘I thought you never felt antisocial,’ said Adam, knocking back the contents of his goblet.
‘You’d be surprised,’ said Molly coquettishly.
Molly noted with excitement that Adam was drunk, and his mouth had a little downward turn as if he was anxious.
‘Weekend parties always seem like a good idea at the time …’ he said slowly.
‘But by Sunday afternoon you just want to tell everyone to bugger off?’ laughed Molly.
The temple was small and confined. They were only three feet apart, but the enclosed space made it seem even closer. When they didn’t speak, she could hear the sound of their breathing.
Adam shrugged, not sharing the smile, and drowned the last of his wine.
‘Shouldn’t you be with Marcus?’
‘We’re not joined at the hip,’ she said.
For the first time she saw him approach something resembling a smile. He held up his glass as if he was examining it. ‘Do you know what I like about you, Molly? You think like a man.’
‘Is that supposed to be a compliment?’
Adam nodded. ‘What you see is what you get. Me and you are similar creatures. We’re straightforward. Maybe even selfish, but at least we’re honest. What I can’t stand is women who pretend to be one thing and then try to fuck you over.’ His mouth was in a tight line, his voice aggressive, eyes staring forward, cold and hard.
Molly felt a smile pulling at her lips. He has obviously had a fight with Karin. She felt dizzy with glee. She knew now was her moment to strike.
‘Maybe you’re just choosing the wrong women.’
He lowered his voice so she could hardly hear him. ‘Maybe.’
She moved across the marble bench so she was sitting right next to him. She pulled the empty glass from his hand, finger by finger, and ever so slightly ran the tip of her tongue over her lips.
‘Come on. Let’s get back to the party,’ she whispered. She could tell by the way he was looking at her that he had no intention of going. ‘Not unless you want to stay here,’ she added softly, resting her fingers on the line of his shorts. She ran her other hand down the stubble of his cheek and he caught it and pulled her fingertips into his mouth.
‘Adam, don’t,’ she whispered, willing him with every bone in her body to continue.
He pulled her towards him and her foot knocked the bottle to the floor with a hollow clatter. They stood up together and began pulling at each other’s clothes, urgently. Molly’s kaftan came over her head in one swift movement, and he unclasped her bikini top with one hand, so her small, brown nipples jumped out in his face. He pinned her against the temple walls, her arms over her head, her skin smarting as it hit the ice-cold marble, while the fingers on his other hand pushed her bikini briefs to one side. She moved her feet apart to widen her legs, moaning as his fingers slid into her. Adam’s lips slid down her neck to take a hard nipple in his mouth. They didn’t speak, just grunts and gasps. He fumbled to pull down his boxer shorts and pulled at the strings of Molly’s bikini briefs so they fell to the floor.
His cock was hard. His fingers pushed roughly back into her, feeling her wetness, while his hand guided his cock inside her. His body pressed against her, pushing her harder against the marble wall. It didn’t feel so cold now. Molly clasped behind him, digging her nails into his buttocks until he cried out.
He thrust into her with such force that her head banged on the marble. She glanced at his face and saw his eyes closed, his teeth biting into his lip. It was raw, urgent and, for Molly, disappointingly quick. He withdrew his cock just before he came, his hot juice spilling onto her thigh.
‘Fuck,’ he grimaced through clenched teeth. No emotion. It wasn’t sex with a new lover; the start of something, a promise. It was hard and cruel, a fuck against women. It was a beginning and an end.
He raked his hand through his hair and looked up at her, his eyes glassy, and reached for his sweater. ‘We probably should both keep that quiet,’ he mumbled.
Molly nodded, her stomach churning with disappointment.
They gathered up their clothes and got dressed in silence, but outside, Karin Cavendish had heard everything.
Karin sped away from the temple in a hot fury. An affair with Summer Sinclair was one thing; if Adam was going to be unfaithful, then at least silly impressionable models were never going to be a long-term threat. But to have sex with Molly at their engagement party? It beggared belief. Putting aside the complete lack of respect on Adam’s part – it was Molly! Molly Sinclair! And Molly was a far more dangerous prospect because she knew how to play the game. Molly was not a pretty lovesick puppy like Summer, who would dote on Adam’s every word, gaining his affection but not his respect. Molly was an operator. Karin had witnessed first hand over the last six months how Molly was able to manipulate men. But could Adam see that? Men were notoriously blind to the obvious flaws that a woman could see. Did Adam see a tramp who’d be up for a quick shag in the bushes in the desperate hope that he would fall in love? Or did he see a former top model, about his own age, with a steely, independent core that Karin knew he found attractive? Well, she wasn’t going to take any chances. It was time to fight back.
That evening’s party was quieter than the previous night’s main event. There was a hog-roast in the garden, low tables and cushions by the pool, tea-lights everywhere, and guests were dressed more casually – long sparkly kaftans and jewelled flip-flops rather than the couture gowns of the day before, giving the whole evening a sultry Moroccan vibe. Karin found Marcus sitting alone on a leather pouf by the pool, picking at some baklava and watching the guests mill around. Seeing that Adam was within eyeshot on the other side of the pool, she positioned herself next to Marcus and turned on the charm. She knew she was looking hot. Her long chocolate-brown chiffon dress was almost sheer, revealing a tiny bronze bikini and an incredible suntanned body underneath. She had accessorized with a pair of metallic Grecian sandals, a copper bangle pushed up her arm, and a slim gold lariat hung around her neck, making her look every inch a modern day Talitha Getty. Rather appropriate, she thought, smiling. Except without the drug habit of course.
‘Where’s Molly?’
‘Around, around,’ laughed Marcus, trying not to notice the curve of Karin’s breast peeping through the low neckline of her dress. ‘Phoning Summer, I think. She took off early this morning to Milan, so I think Molly just wants to check everything is okay.’
‘She just adores Summer, doesn’t she?’ smiled Karin, knowing the irony was lost on Marcus. ‘I know she’d do an