The Heart Of Bali Read online

  He ran a finger from her knee up the inside of her thigh. Longing washed over her again. ‘I definitely can’t wait until we get back.’

  ‘Me either,’ she said, pulling him to the floor.

  * * *

  As the sun rose the next morning, Aurora was just drifting off to sleep. Marcel had said his goodbyes, and snuck out early so none of his staff would see him leaving her room. They’d giggled like teenagers at the door. Neither of them wanted to say goodbye but fatigue won out.

  Alone with just the smell of Marcel on her skin, Aurora walked into the bathroom and turned on the bath. All she wanted to do was soak in the tub and replay each moment of the previous night. She’d never let herself go like that with a man before. Always shy and hesitant, always wondering what men thought of her body, the way she performed. It was different with Marcel. It’d been magical, as she let her reservations go and enjoyed sex in a brand new way. There was a freedom in being so uninhibited.

  While the water ran she walked back to the bedside table and turned on her mobile phone. Marcel had said he’d text when he could throughout the day. She’d urged him to get some rest, teased him that he’d need all his energy when they met again tonight. Her phone beeped with voice messages. She checked her missed calls. All private numbers.

  Denny.

  She pressed delete without listening to them. No way was she going to let messages from Denny ruin her high. The rapturous night with Marcel was all she’d focus on.

  Walking back to the bathroom, she took off her robe and hung it on the back of the door. She scrutinised herself unselfconsciously in the full length mirror. Her lips were swollen from kissing, and her face was still flushed. Small love bites marked the top of her breasts – Marcel hadn’t held back in his desire for her. She was still drunk with excitement and couldn’t wait to see him again tonight.

  Just as she was stepping into the bath her mobile rang. She castigated herself for not remembering to switch it off. Denny didn’t give up easily. Closing her eyes she let the water wash over her body and sighed. Her thoughts turned back to the steamy limo ride. Marcel would be hard to leave. That man knew how to pleasure a woman.

  The phone rang again. Aurora cursed and covered her ears. Go to hell. She stepped out of the bath and wrapped her robe around her.

  When the phone rang for the third time anger took over. ‘What?’ she yelled into it.

  ‘It’s me. I’ve been calling you for days.’ Denny’s petulant voice made her want to scream.

  She could hear traffic noise in the background, horns blared, and sirens rang out. ‘Where are you?’ Aurora asked.

  ‘I’m at a phone box on…’

  ‘Just stop,’ she interjected. A phone box? Had he lost his mobile phone again? He was like a child. She wasn’t having it anymore.

  ‘Stop calling me, Denny. It’s over. Because you chose to sleep with another woman!’

  ‘Oh, come on. I didn’t actually sleep with her…’

  ‘Denny, enough. I don’t want to hear it.’ Aurora hung up and switched the phone off. How dare he? He had some nerve trying to wheedle his way back to her. As if she would allow that to happen.

  Grumpy and exhausted, there was nothing to do but sleep. Making her way to the rumpled bed, she fell into it, pulled the sheets up and closed her eyes. Minutes later, she was in a deep sleep.

  * * *

  An insistent knocking woke Aurora. She glanced at the alarm clock. Nearly six p.m. Marcel was early. ‘One sec,’ she yelled to the back of the door, and rubbed her eyes.

  She ripped the covers off and dashed to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Ugh, she thought looking at her reflection. No make-up. If last night was anything to go by, it would soon be rubbed off. A quick splash of water and a spritz of perfume would have to do.

  A smile lit up her face as she jogged to the door, wrapping her dressing gown around her as she went.

  She pulled the door open and gasped.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ she hissed. With the sun sinking behind him, Denny stood slumped against the door, wearing floral board shorts and a faded yellow t-shirt. Utterly different from the stylish Marcel. What had she ever seen in him?

  ‘You wouldn’t take my calls, so I booked another flight. I called you from Denpasar. It took me a hell of time to find this place! And we need to sort this out.’ He held the door open with one hand and craned his neck to look into the room.

  ‘I thought I made it clear? There is nothing to sort out!’

  ‘You say that, but three years is a long time to throw away.’

  ‘You should have thought of that before you...you did whatever it is you did…and then posted photos on Facebook. You all octopus-like around a stripper! I mean really? A stripper?’

  He shook his head and looked at the ground. ‘It was a mistake, Pookie. Let me come in and I’ll explain.’

  His battered guitar case was propped up against the wall. Aurora sighed as she looked him up and down. His clothes needed washing, he hadn’t shaved and he had dark circles beneath his eyes. Everything about him screamed lazy. She remembered all those times he was unemployed and uninspired. A struggling, wannabe musician, who spent more time drinking in bars than playing in any. She’d paid their rent, their bills and gave him extra for nights out with the boys, so he could ‘suss out a potential gig’. He’d used her from the beginning but she’d been too caught up by his boyish charm to notice. The same boyish charm he now used on other women.

  She steeled herself. ‘There’s nothing to explain. I don’t want to talk. Please leave, or I will call security.’

  He ran a hand over his five o’clock shadow. It was obvious he needed a shower – the smell of stale beer and cigarettes clung to him. He’d probably been holed up with the stripper until his money ran out.

  ‘Listen. I’m not leaving. I paid for half of this room, remember, so I’ll be sleeping on my half of the bed.’ It’d been the first time he’d contributed to anything. And now she knew why. He had suggested the holiday after she confronted him about the rumours. Why had she been so trusting?

  ‘I’ll give you the money back.’ She wanted him gone before Marcel came along. She panicked at the thought of them meeting. Denny looked and sounded like a bum.

  ‘No. I want this room.’ He picked up his guitar and pushed past her.

  She wrapped her robe tightly around her waist, and followed him in, leaving the door open. ‘I mean it, Denny!’ Her voice rose. ‘Get out or I will call security.’

  He laughed her off and scrutinised the room. ‘Pretty flash digs.’

  Aurora crossed her arms. He walked over to her and massaged the tops of her shoulders. ‘Loosen up! We still have two days. We can make this work.’ He moved to kiss her and without thinking she slapped him hard across the face. He reeled back, anger flaring in his eyes. ‘Feel better?’ he asked.

  ‘I’ll feel better when you leave. I don’t know how else to say it!’ Frustrated, she fought tears.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, his voice plaintive. A red handprint marked his face, and he rubbed it and said, ‘If you really want me to go, I’ll go. But, at least, let me kiss you goodbye.’ He grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her before she could push him away.

  ‘Excuse me, it was open.’ Marcel’s tall frame blocked the doorway.

  ‘What’s up, mate?’ Denny asked, an edge to his voice.

  ‘I’m the hotel manager,’ he replied. ‘Just wanted to check everything has been to your satisfaction.’ His stance was casual, yet Aurora could see the hurt look in his eyes.

  ‘Perfect. Actually, better than perfect.’ Aurora said. ‘Denny here, was just leaving.’ She stepped away from him and fought the urge to run to Marcel and embrace him. She didn’t want a scene with Denny. If he found out about her and Marcel, it would only give him ammunition.

  ‘I see.’ Marcel glared at Denny and was met with a blank stare.

  ‘One more kiss, and I’m gone,’ whispered Denny.

&nbs
p; Aurora’s eyes widened. ‘I don’t think so.’

  Denny turned to Marcel and yelled, ‘Mate, the room’s great. Now piss off!’

  Aurora inhaled sharply. ‘I’m so sorry, Marcel! Please ignore him. Would you mind waiting for one minute while I change and perhaps you can escort me to the bar?’

  ‘I’d love to,’ he said, his eyes flashing with anger. ‘And please, if I should need to call security, don’t hesitate to let me know.’ He looked firmly at Denny.

  ‘Thank you.’ Aurora pulled a dress out of the cupboard and hurried into the bathroom to change. Her hands quavered as she tried to do the zip up. The last thing she wanted was a fight to break out. She was embarrassed that Marcel had encountered Denny, and even more so when she thought about how he had walked in on what looked like them kissing.

  Soon, their raised voices carried through the door. There was no time to worry about her appearance. She rushed out. Marcel held Denny by the scruff of his t-shirt. ‘You ever speak about her like that again and I won’t be responsible for hurting you. Understand?’ Marcel said, sharply.

  Aurora was frightened by the look on Marcels’ face. He was flushed with rage, and the veins in his neck were taut. He moved closer to Denny, his teeth bared. ‘I said, do you understand?’

  Aurora raced towards them, as much as she disliked Denny, she didn’t want to see him hurt. And Marcel looked fit to kill.

  ‘Let go of me!’ Denny pushed Marcel’s arms away. ‘Seems you’re a little more than a manager, am I right?’ He looked to Aurora. ‘So not much of a pity party going on, then? Not pining for a guy you spent three years dating?’

  Aurora stood tall, her voice steady as she said, ‘No, Denny, you’re right. Pity is the last thing I’m feeling.’

  ‘You better be gone before I get back,’ Marcel said, giving him a shove.

  Denny plucked at his shirt. ‘Whatever.’

  Marcel, eyes fierce, clutched her hand. Aurora pulled Marcel to the door – worried he might still lash out at Denny.

  * * *

  She gazed up at him as they rushed away from her room. His nostrils flared as he muttered to himself in furious French.

  She had to jog to keep up. ‘Marcel, slow down.’

  He stopped walking, and turned to her, and exhaled. ‘Sorry. Sorry.’

  She searched his face, and saw his features soften. ‘What happened in there?’ she asked.

  He ran a hand through his hair, and sighed. ‘I’m so sorry, Aurora. I shouldn’t have done that. He is a nasty piece of work. But I shouldn’t have done that.’

  Aurora wondered what Denny had said to provoke such a reaction, but could guess it was something that would make her feel worse. ‘Would you have hit him if I didn’t come in?’

  ‘Yes. No. I don’t know. Seeing him kiss you didn’t help.’

  Aurora smiled up at him. ‘Who knew you were the jealous type?’

  He pulled her up on tiptoes and kissed her softly on the lips. Butterflies swarmed in her belly.

  He held her, and murmured, ‘Come to my home. You can tell me about him in private.’

  Aurora clutched his hand and they continued on. ‘Did you get any sleep?’

  He laughed and kept walking. His shoulders were no longer tense and he looked more like the Marcel from the previous night. ‘Yes, I managed a few hours. But I was sorely tempted to come back and ravish you one last time. I wonder if we’ll get to do that again,’ he teased.

  ‘I’m willing if you are.’ She nudged his arm.

  ‘More than willing. And after eight hours break, definitely able. So two days, huh?’

  Her heart felt heavy. Did all holiday flings feel so special? ‘Yep, two.’

  They veered away from the resort, onto the soft sand.

  ‘Let’s drink some champagne. You can tell me all about your friend, and then…’

  ‘And then what?’ she interrupted.

  ‘And then we repeat last night’s performance.’

  A shudder of anticipation jolted her.

  He motioned toward a huge private bungalow set alone on a quiet stretch of the beach. ‘Here we are.’

  ‘Wow! What a gorgeous place to live.’ The bungalow had a thatched roof and floor to ceiling windows that faced the beach. Palm trees lined the side closest to the resort providing a partial screen for privacy.

  ‘Come in.’

  Aurora stepped over the threshold and into the most beautiful home she’d ever seen. It looked like something from an interior design magazine. Cushions were scattered over pristine white leather lounges, and everything was colour coordinated. White, beige and lime green. It was modern and fresh. ‘How long have you lived here?’

  ‘Nearly twenty years, but I’ve just had the place renovated. The interior was done by an Australian designer. She flew here especially to do it.’

  Jealousy snaked through Aurora. She imagined a pert, sophisticated interior designer flirting with Marcel. Pictured him throwing her down on the lounge, and bending down to… She shook the image away. Three day fling, remember?

  Instead she concentrated on the room. ‘It’s beautiful. But it’s still very Balinese in style with the artwork and ornaments. I love it.’

  ‘Could you picture yourself living here?’ He rocked on the balls of his feet and gazed at her.

  What kind of question was that? ‘There are worse places.’ She laughed nervously.

  ‘Champagne?’

  ‘Please.’

  ‘Shall we sit outside on the day bed?’

  ‘That sounds lovely.’ Aurora walked outside. A large white canopy shaded the table. Gossamer curtains waved with the breeze. Marcel followed her and pulled the curtains closed along a metal rail. They were secluded with only the view of the beach in front of them.

  ‘This is truly magnificent.’ Aurora kicked off her sandals and sunk into the cushions.

  Marcel ambled into the kitchen and returned with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

  ‘Here’s to new friendships.’ They clinked glasses and sat silently together, watching waves crash into the shore. The wind had picked up and the air was fragrant with the salty smell of the ocean. It was a balm for Aurora’s soul. She felt rejuvenated by the elements and by Marcel.

  ‘So, who was he?’ His accent thickened with fresh jealousy.

  Aurora sighed. ‘He was my boyfriend. I’m ashamed to say we spent three years together. It was never really right between us, but I thought if I gave him enough space, enough love, things would improve. But we’re polar opposites. I’ve always worked hard and he never worked at all. His dreams of becoming a musician were impeded by the fact that he doesn’t put any effort in to looking for work. He’d rather have a boys’ nights out, than stay at home with me.’

  Marcel’s frown deepened. ‘I don’t understand boys’ nights. If you’re single then fine, going out with a group of friends is understandable. But for me, I couldn’t leave you at home. Especially to be surrounded by a group of beer-swilling men.’

  Aurora nodded. She couldn’t picture Marcel in at a crowded pub, jostling for drinks. He was more the type for intimate romantic dinners, and nights in front of the fire. Or was she inventing him the way she wanted him? Maybe that was her problem with men. She spent too long envisioning how they’d be instead of noticing who they really were.

  She sighed and continued. ‘Rumours started making their way back to me. Like Denny being seen kissing other women at nightclubs. I laughed them off, thinking he’d never do that. Eventually I asked him, and he denied it of course. Then we booked this holiday.’

  Marcel pulled her feet into his lap and gently stroked the soft skin on her legs. ‘Go on.’

  ‘I thought he had finally changed. That the gossip had inspired him to be romantic. The night before we were due to fly out he had a friend’s buck’s night. I asked him not to get home too late because we had an early flight.’

  Aurora took a sip of her champagne. ‘Well, by five a.m. he still wasn’t home. He wasn’t a
nswering my calls. I was angry but I headed off to the airport. I wasn’t going to miss the flight, and deep down I hoped he would be at the terminal with some kind of believable excuse – he lost his phone or something – and we could go on and enjoy our trip. I checked my luggage and settled in to wait. I got a text message from him. Said he’d miss this flight but would meet me later. I was so furious I didn’t respond.’

  Marcel frowned. ‘I don’t believe this guy. Is he an idiot? He has the most beautiful girl in the world and he treats her like this?’

  Aurora noticed that he motioned with his hands more forcefully when he was angry. She sat up and moved to the crook of Marcel’s arm. ‘It gets worse.’

  ‘Worse? He better be gone we when get back.’

  No one had ever fought for Aurora before. She liked the way it felt.

  ‘A friend called me, the same one who told me all those stories about him in the clubs. Told me to check his Facebook account. There were all sorts of explicit pictures of him with someone who looked like a stripper.’

  ‘He’s filth,’ Marcel spat.

  ‘I checked Facebook and sure enough, someone had posted photos of him from the buck’s night. Graphic and shocking. He must have been drunk out of his mind.’

  ‘You weren’t going to take him back were you?’ Marcel’s frown deepened.

  ‘No. Definitely not. I was mad at myself for wasting three years with someone who was obviously taking advantage of me. I guess with work being so busy, one day bled into the next and I didn’t notice it wasn’t going anywhere.’

  ‘I wish I’d punched him!’

  Aurora huffed and snuggled in closer. ‘I’m glad you didn’t. Then he’d never go. Hopefully he’s slunk off, and we can enjoy the rest of my time here.’

  ‘Two short days.’ He kissed the top of her head.

  Aurora put her hand on Marcel’s chest and felt the steady thrum of his heart beating. ‘So, what does your bedroom look like?’ she said suggestively.

  ‘Let me show you. You’ll forget all about what’s-his-name.’

  ‘He’s already forgotten.’

  ‘Good. I’m going to show you how a real man loves a woman.’ He took her hand and pulled her up from the lounge.