He shrugged. ‘Disappointment,’ he said, eyes challenging hers. ‘What happened just now ... I thought we had a connection.’
She scoffed inwardly. A connection.‘What do you expect happens now, Bradley?’ she asked pointedly. ‘I’ll go out with you? We’ll have a nice little holiday romance?’
‘Maybe not, but I don’t expect you to get up and walk away the second I’ve come inside you.’
‘We’re drunk.’ She flinched. ‘I have a boyfriend. And that’s where I am going right now. To find him.’
He paused, then gave a low, shallow laugh. ‘I know where your boyfriend is.’
She looked at him sharply. There was an edge to his laugh she didn’t like.
‘Where?’ she asked quietly.
‘Making out by Paradise Cove with his boyfriend. You know, the tall good-looking one.’
Her heart was beating hard now. ‘What? What the hell are you talking about?’
‘I caught them together and that’s how I got this,’ said Bradley, pointing to the burn on his cheek. ‘Your boyfriend stubbed his cigarette out on my face because he didn’t like what I had seen.’
Sasha felt cold all over. It was unthinkable, but there was a distant, unpalatable ring of truth in Bradley’s words that chilled her to the core.
‘You’re lying.’
Bradley shook his head slowly. ‘Your boyfriend’s queer, Sasha.’ ‘You’re lying!’ she yelled.
She closed her eyes tight. It couldn’t be true.
But it is, isn’t it? said a calm, insistent voice in her head.
No, it was just a poisonous lie dreamt up by some low-rent gigolo who wanted to strike back when he found out there would be no repeat performance. It was!
The inner voice mocked her. You know it’s true.
‘My boyfriend is not gay,’ she said, fighting to control her voice. ‘It’s a ridiculous idea.’
‘Whatever,’ said Bradley sourly, not even looking at her.
She moved towards the door, then turned back. ‘You never answered my question.’
‘Which one?’ he said with a note of insolence.
Right then, she hated him. Her body boiled with fury at this jumped-up nobody who had tricked her into bed. She clenched her hands into fists, using every ounce of willpower to control herself.
‘You’re not going to say anything to anyone about this.’
He looked up at her with contempt. ‘You’re all the same, your type,’ he spat. ‘You use people and then ge
t rid of them at your convenience.’
‘I mean it, Bradley,’ said Sasha, her voice quivering with anger and frustration. ‘Don’t even think of breathing a word about what just happened...’
‘Or what?’ asked Bradley.
‘Or you’ll regret it,’ she said, staring at him with cold fury. Then she opened the door and slammed it behind her with such force, the entire cabin shook.
7
Grace wasn’t enjoying the party. It was almost 2.30 and she knew she should have gone to bed hours ago. There were over a dozen people on the beach, but the guests were outnumbered by the steel band, chefs and waiters keeping the unending supply of drink and food coming. Only Angus, Sarah, Gabby and herself were sitting by the bonfire and the previous high spirits had long since disappeared. Grace popped a final toasted marshmallow into her mouth – brought to her on a silver tray, naturally – and stood up unsteadily.