Page 83 of The Christmas Holiday
‘Try not to be quite so smug.’
‘I can try.’
My arms were down by my sides, pinned under his, so I doinked my head against his chest in reply. I felt the chuckle rumble in his chest and his arms tighten a little more. The sound of an engine broke the silence and a Landrovercame into sight over the crest of a nearby hill. As it pulled up, Hunter released me and stepped away to start readying the luggage. Immediately, the wind once again sheered through me and my teeth resumed their chattering. He threw me a look and laughed softly, before turning away again. Liv and Sandeep got into the vehicle and I passed my hand luggage to Hunter. He’d insisted on helping the driver– who had arrived wearing a Santa hat complete with bell – load up the bags, so I followed the others into the car. Inside was definitely much warmer but I couldn’t stop myself feeling the loss of Hunter’s arms around me. What I wasn’t sure of was whether his warmth was the only thing I was missing. Quickly I pushed the thought away, knowing this really wasn’t a thread I wanted to pull.
Aswe arrived at the idyllic and incredibly exclusive boutique hotel that sat atop the cliff face, keeping watch over the fiercely raging sea, we had our second and inescapable reminder that the festive season was upon us. Despite Christmas items having been in the shops at home since practically the end of August, once we’d started the trip, other celebrations had served to distract us from it. FromDiwali in India, to everything being focused on Thanksgiving in America, and then the resort in Malaysia apparently choosing to remain detached from links with any religion, however tenuous those were these days, it had been easy to forget that it was now only a few weeks until those sleigh bells rang. But from the look of the two enormous, exquisitely decorated Christmas trees that framed the entrance,we were about to be plunged back headlong into it big time.
The fact that the place described itself as an inn was a little misleading. In essence, it was exactly that. But that essence had been distilled and turned into something quite different. Every whim was catered for – all right, except for Sandeep’s desire for mobile phone coverage, but since he’d enabled Wi-Fi calling on his handset,he was now happy too. At least within the confines of the building. Apart from that – and because of that for most people – it was perfect. Twenty-four-hour service, a pool, gym, health spa, and all of it overlooking the wild, white-crested sea, tumbling and chasing in towards the rocks before exploding against them with deafening force.
***
I was standing near the edge of the dark, granitecliff, looking down as the water sucked away from the rocks, exposing the jagged edges and leaving them shiny and glinting in the low winter sun. The bitter wind we’d been greeted with had brought with it three days of snow and, although the place was luxurious and offered various diversions, frankly I was going a bit stir crazy. Seeing the sun this morning, peering through the clouds as thoughit was debating whether to actually put in an appearance or not, had me layering up and pulling the hiking boots out of the winter luggage that had been delivered to the private jet, ready for our journey north. Knowing the daylight was limited, thanks to our northerly position, I’d been determined to make the most of it and had spent the last few hours exploring the island, following trails ona map the concierge had given me and eating my rather posh packed lunch in the shelter of an old, half-ruined croft. The stone wreck not only gave me protection from the wind but also a place to park my bum, and a breathtaking view across untamed ocean. Suitably revived, I’d continued on my exploration, which had now brought me to this spot. The sound of the surf breaking on the rocks below drownedout my thoughts and I stood instead, watching sea birds wheel and soar then flap against the wind, their calls whipped away out to sea on the gusts. I delved into my pocket, found my ugly phone case and, tucking my gloves in the same pocket for a moment, took a couple of shots before the light faded too much.
‘Mia.’ A hand on my shoulder made me turn quickly and I let out a small, but choice,selection of expletives as my heart rate shot up and my feet stumbled momentarily.
‘Jesus, Hunter! You scared the bloody life out of me!’
‘Sorry. I did call a couple of times, but I guess you didn’t hear me.’
He guessed right. He had to raise his voice now, even though he was standing right in front of me, to have a conversation, which only reiterated that, when it came to nature,it was hard to compete.
‘Adding to your CV?’ he asked, pointing at the phone.
I did a maybe yes, maybe no thing with my head as I swapped the phone for my gloves and pulled them back on. ‘It would certainly save money if I could provide the images too, not to mention hassle. You know what some of these photographers can be like. Total divas, most of them.’
‘You do realise you’re stilldangerously close to that cliff edge, don’t you?’
‘I’m not dangerously close,’ I said, glancing down and just double-checking I wasn’t. ‘I’m…’ I stopped as I looked up and met the level gaze now trained on me. ‘Oh. I see. Well, obviously I didn’t mean you. Never even crossed my mind!’
A smile flickered at the corners of his mouth. ‘Of course you didn’t,’ he agreed, ‘and as much as I knowit’s going to annoy you for me to say this, would you mind just coming away from the edge a little more? For my own peace of mind.’ He held out his gloved hand and I took it, taking a few more steps away from the drop until his face cleared a little.
‘Jeez, you’re such a nervous nelly. I’m sure you’ve been in far more dangerous positions,’ I said, letting go of his hand and shuffling the littledaysack on my back into a more comfy position.
‘That’s different. And that’s exactly why I’m nervous. I know what can happen.’
‘How is it different?’
‘Because it’s you and not me.’
‘And?’
‘And… it’s not unknown for you to be slightly...’
I shifted my weight and raised my eyebrows at him. ‘Slightly…?’
He fiddled with his beanie hat for a moment as he took on the lookof a man who suddenly wished he were somewhere else. ‘Uncoordinated.’
‘Thank you for your faith in me.’
‘It’s not a criticism. It’s an observation.’
‘Well, how about you stop observing and go back to doing whatever it was you were doing, because in case you hadn’t noticed, the only time I ever came anywhere near falling off the cliff was when you crept up behind me!’
‘Yelling yourname three times is hardly creeping up.’
‘I didn’t hear you so it doesn’t count.’
He smirked and rubbed his jaw, catching my arm as I started walking off. ‘Hey.’
