Page 47 of Taking the Heat

No answer.

‘Henry? Hello?’

‘Yes!’ He took me by surprise, leaping to his feet and bouncing on the netting, sending me flying. ‘Yes! I’m better than okay! I’m brilliant! I’m stupendous! I’m enraptured!’

Giggling, I tried to regain my balance enough to stand next to him. ‘I’m glad you liked it.’

‘Liked it? My dear, darling, Tara, I didn’t like that; that was the single greatest kiss I’ve ever experienced!’ He turned to me, his face bright and joyful. ‘I knew you were special, I knew what I felt for you, I just never knew you’d feel it too.’

How in the hell could I tell him I wasn’t feeling whatever he was? He was so happy. What did it matter if I let him believe my world had been rocked too? After all, it hadn’t been bad. It was just like everything else about Henry; it was nice. It was enough.

Luckily I didn’t have time to answer. In another heart-stopping bounce, Henry dropped to his knees on the elastin surface.

‘Tara, my gorgeous girl,’ he said, eyes sparkling, ‘I have a question to ask you …’

Chapter 16

‘Henry, you’re not about to propose, are you?’ I laughed nervously.

Realising how he looked on one knee, Henry quickly scooted his feet around and sat on his butt. ‘No, no! Well, it is a proposal of sorts, I suppose …’

He patted the net beside him, and I sank down warily. ‘Yes …’

‘Don’t go in the fantasy cabin.’

‘What?’ The sun was hot on my skin, but his words made my blood run cold. I’d spent the last few days trying not to think about the inevitable end of my time on the island. With only a few words, Henry brought it all crashing back.

He looked at me, his creamy skin pink from sun and awkwardness. ‘Well, you see, I want to be with you, Tara. Not just here, on this ridiculous show, but afterwards. I think we could really have something special.’

‘Henry … you don’t know me.’

‘But I want to get to know you! I want to know what makes you cry, your favourite smell, where you like to be kissed. I want to take you around the world, I want to show you off on my arm, I want to build you a castle and make beautiful children with you. Not right away, of course, but I can see all of those things with you.’ He smiled, his expression distant as he viewed the future he’d imagined for us.

Then his eyes grew pained. ‘But I loathe the thought of you having to expose and sully yourself for this sake of money. You don’t seem like the kind of girl who wants to have sex for money. So, I want to pay you not to go into the fantasy cabin.’

Feeling slightly unnerved, I answered quickly, ‘How do you know I haven’t been in already?’

‘Well … uh, I just, um … I thought maybe you hadn’t.’

Putting his flaming cheeks out of their misery, I said, ‘I haven’t.’

‘Oh … good.’ He locked his hands under his chin, praying for my acceptance. ‘Tara, I only came here to prove that I like women. And I like you. And whatever you’re here for, money, fame, fun, I can give you all of those things. Just let me look after you, be my one and only and I will make your dreams come true.’

How is you paying me to not have sex any different to someone paying to actually do it?Both are a form of control and involve selling myself in some way.

But looking at Henry’s face, I knew his genuine heart didn’t have anything but the best intentions. ‘Henry … I would love to accept.’

He gasped in delight and reached for me, but I held up my hand. ‘But I can’t. I’m not here for me.’ In a few short sentences, I told him about Ella and her situation. ‘So, you see, this isn’t about me—it’s about her.’

‘That’s even better!’ Henry enthused. ‘I’m on the board of a charity which supports young people with disabilities. We’ll build your sister a house and arrange for as much care as she needs!’

For a moment, my greedy brain screamed,Take the deal!It seemed so perfect. But as logic kicked in, I answered, ‘That’s so incredibly generous. But what if we don’t work out? Would Ella lose her home? Should she miss out on her care because I make the easier choice here?’

‘Tara … I would never …’ Henry was horrified, his mouth a massive O.

‘I know, I know you would never mean to hurt me,’ I quickly recanted. ‘But Ella is my responsibility. I’m the one who should suffer so she suffers less.’

‘I don’t want you to suffer.’

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