A Twist of Fate Read Online Free PDF Page B

breathing at last steadied, a sob welled up and burst out. Tears followed, unstoppably and endless, it seemed. I was enclosed in the strongest embrace, and I cried it out. Standing on the rocks, Paul held me safe and rocked me gently, soothing me with his low voice, holding me against the whirl of despair. I’d completely forgotten we both had hardly anything on.
    He eventually led me back to our beach, not allowing me to look back at the body. He’d deal with it, he assured me.
    After helping clean and bind my feet, he made me have a nap. After his calming words, I did manage it, fitful but restorative.

Four
    When I emerged in what must have been early afternoon, I smiled at him in embarrassment. ‘Sorry about that.’
    â€˜Don’t be daft. It were a shock. I’m sorry you had to see it.’
    â€˜Have you …?’
    He knew what I meant. ‘Aye.’ He must have put the body with the others.
    â€˜Thank you.’
    â€˜I’ve dealt with worse.’
    I sat down beside him. ‘Where did you serve?’
    â€˜Afghanistan. Three tours.’
    â€˜Was it horrible?’
    â€˜Aye.’
    I didn’t ask more.
    We sat together quietly as he cooked his catch on the fire before giving me some. I ate well and I could see Paul was pleased with my appetite.
    Being in his company relaxed me from the trauma of earlier and we spent the afternoon chatting. It helped to talk, and it was easy talking to him. Everything was easy with him. Here, at least.
    As the sun set on our second night on the island, we sat again, staring out at the sea. After all, there was little else to do. We were closer together than we had been before, and our shoulders kept nudging each other. Neither of us acknowledged it, but neither did we move apart.
    The conversation turned to education again.
    â€˜So, did you go to finishing school or something?’ he asked with a smirk.
    I looked at him with an incredulous gawp. ‘Finishing school? Nobody goes to finishing school any more!’
    â€˜So you didn’t have to do ballroom dancing or elocution lessons?’ he grinned.
    â€˜No. I don’t know anything about ballroom … although I can do a mean cha-cha!’
    â€˜Can you?’ His eyebrow rose up in appreciative curiosity.
    â€˜I learnt it on a holiday in Brazil one year.’
    â€˜Brazil? You get around, don’t you? Go on then,’ he nodded to the shore in front of us. ‘Show me your cha-cha-cha.’
    â€˜I need a partner,’ I declared.
    He gestured to a palm tree to our right. ‘That tree over there’ll oblige.’
    I stood quickly. ‘Oh no, Paul Mason, you don’t get away with it that easily. Come on, Twinkletoes, up you get!’
    He looked up wearily. ‘You’re kiddin’ me.’
    â€˜No, you wanted to see it, you have to be involved. On your feet.’
    I held out my hand, took his, and pulled him up. He fell forwards, nearly against me. A rush of desire shot through me and the horror of earlier was forgotten. I felt like a teenager at a school disco. I giggled a little in embarrassment and noticed his gentle, teasing smile. Clearing my throat, I raised my arms, placing one on his still bare shoulder. He took my extended hand in a firm grip and placed the other around my waist. It felt so ridiculously good, I could scarcely breathe. Desire was robbing me of air. I stared down at our feet to focus.
    â€˜Right, so, you rock forward … back … then cha-cha-cha.’ I showed him the simple moves. ‘You simply follow me with your opposing feet.’
    â€˜I thought the man was supposed to lead,’ he said.
    â€˜Only if he knows what he’s doing, you ninny!’
    His face wrinkled in amusement. ‘Ninny? Didn’t know people still said that.’
    â€˜Stop changing the subject. Now concentrate,’ I chided. ‘One, two, cha-cha-cha.’
    He was hopeless. I kept narrowly avoiding