A Twist of Fate Read Online Free PDF

determination. He was like a heron, pacing through the water, his bright eyes gleaming on his prey. Every so often he’d exclaim in delight or frustration.
    The sun continued to beat down. I was boiling.
    I called over, ‘I’m just going to see if I can find a good spot for a swim.’
    â€˜All right! There’s a cove round the corner. Try there.’
    I stood up, dusting myself off, reluctant to tear myself away from the sight of his beautiful body in hunting mode. But I picked my way carefully over the rocks and disappeared around the corner.
    It was phenomenally beautiful. A golden beach curved around, with rocky outcrops framing it on either side. The sun sparkled like the purest diamonds off the clear water, and palm trees swayed in a caressing breeze. We’d found an island paradise, but for the worst reason possible. I sighed, but, ensuring I was not being spied on, stripped off to my bra and pants.
    My upbringing had ensured I remained shy of my body and demure in my exhibitionism. My desires were as strong as any woman’s, but, with strict parenting, I’d been careful at every stage of adolescent discovery. Perhaps that was why I held back from Paul now. It just wasn’t the right thing to do, was it?
    But alone here, I could shake off my inhibitions. I dived into the inviting water. God, that felt good. It seeped into my aching body and immediately soothed me. I swam the length of the beach, then across again on my back, gazing up at the clear sky above me.
    There was a little pool, half enclosed by rocks, over on the side I’d approached from. It would be the perfect place for a little spa-like relaxation. I swam into it and found a spot to lie back against the rocks.
    Closing my eyes, I let the water continue its healing restoration.
    Paul, semi-naked, smiling down, his blue eyes dancing, appeared behind my closed eyelids. Would it matter? Just once? There was no one here. We could just do it and move on. But what if no one ever found us? What if this was it? Forever? At that moment, the thought did not terrify me. If I was going to be stuck on an island forever with someone, I could think of worse candidates.
    I splashed my legs under me, grinning at the thought, imagining him lowering himself onto me and taking hold of me. My legs rubbed instinctively together, my lust brewed.
    My feet brushed against something near the bottom of the pool. It was firm but gave a little and felt like it was covered in some kind of material. As I pushed against it, it moved.
    With a violent splash, the object rose to the surface. I opened my eyes.
    There, staring at me, wide-eyed, white, vacant, and dead, was a human face. The body, a middle-aged man, was bloated and bulbous, the arms and legs hung limply on the surface as if doing a star float in the pool.
    I screamed. I knew I was screaming but didn’t hear it. Not a sudden, shrill squeal of surprise, but a gut-propelled, soul-filled cry of horror and despair. My scream didn’t end. It kept reforming, torn from me as I tried to push myself from the pool, ripping and scoring my feet on the rocks in my desperation to get away.
    I didn’t know where I was going; I didn’t know what to do. I just had to go. Then I was being held again. Those same arms, those same hands, those comforting, strong hands.
    â€˜Callie! It’s all right, it’s all right. I’m here, I’m here. Look at me. Callie, look at me.’
    It was Paul. He was there, a little out of breath from having hurled himself around the rocks to me and wet from fishing. He held my face and guided it up to meet his eyes. Once I saw the blues, strong and direct, I calmed a little.
    â€˜Breathe in slowly through your nose, then out through your mouth.’ I’d do anything he said. He always said the right thing. I followed his instructions. He held my eyes the whole time. ‘In … Out. In … Out. That’s the way.’
    When my