‘Where’s your brain?’
Maya’s voice sends tingles right through me. I turn, and what I see threatens to give me the first hard-on of the day. Every bit as beautiful and delicious as the first time I ever saw her, her hair tumbles over her shoulders, her skin’s lightly tanned from yesterday’s session on the beach, and she’s wearing a black bikini with a flowing flowery sarong tied at the hip. Eyes locked on her, I will the old fella to behave. Six years down the line, and I still have to pinch myself. But it’s true – she’s all mine.
‘Did you dress Ruby in the dark?’ she demands.
‘I was a bit overwhelmed, darling. Jack was a good boy, weren’t you?’
He nods emphatically, takes a small bite of mango and pulls a face as if he’s just eaten dirt.
‘He sorted himself out, but our two semi-feral daughters were a handful, to say the least.’
‘You should have woken me up. I could have helped.’
‘You deserved a lie-in. You didn’t sleep too well last night.’
She arches an eyebrow and my cock threatens to kick off again.
‘And whose fault was that?’ She pulls out a chair.
‘Daddy silly pants,’ Ruby squeals, emerging through the doorway, giggling like a maniac and skittering off across the lawn. She finds the ball we were playing with last night and begins to throw it about.
Distracted, Jack drops his mango and follows suit.
‘Come back here,’ Maya orders. ‘Hats.’
Obediently, the pair of whirlwinds return to us. They know better than to ignore their mum. Maya pops sunhats onto both little heads and they’re off again.
‘Sun cream?’ she asks, narrowing her eyes at me.
‘Already applied,’ I return, brim-full of self-satisfaction.
‘We need to pack the bags.’
‘Already done. I let them watch telly for half an hour and got on with it.’
‘You’ll have forgotten something.’
‘Come on, Maya. I’ve been doing this long enough.’ I reach out and skim a finger down her cheek. ‘Louis’s sorting out the food and drink. Towels are over there. Arm bands. Deck shoes. The lot. You need to relax and let me take charge sometimes.’ I lean in. ‘Didn’t I tell you that on our first date?’
Her lips curve upwards. She’s clearly thinking back.
‘I’m sorry,’ she smiles. ‘But just so we’re clear about this, if you’ve forgotten anything, you can deal with the consequences.’
‘It’ll be my pleasure.’ I plant a kiss on her cheek. Jesus, she smells good this morning. There’s something about the Bermuda air that brings out the sweetness in her skin. If we weren’t currently surrounded by antsy children, I’d have her back in that bedroom in a heartbeat. ‘And I’m sorry I put Ruby’s swimsuit on inside-out. She wouldn’t stop dancing. And Emily needed a …’
‘Don’t even say it.’
Emily wriggles about on my lap, slowly slipping towards the ground. She’s interested in what Jack and Ruby are up to, and I’m about to get a break. Quickly, I grab her hat from the table and put it on her head. Immediately, she tries to take it off.
‘Keep it on, Em. The sun’s hot.’
‘No.’
‘For Daddy?’
She staggers about, her tiny frame wobbling, gives me a disgusted look and then totters out over the grass, running after the ball. As soon as we’re alone, Maya leans over and whispers into my ear.
‘I love you, shit head.’
I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face.
‘And I love you too, sweet pea.’
I brush my lips against hers. I’d go in for a full-on snog, but Maya turns away.
‘Bill’s here.’
I look up to find him making his way down the steps from the main house. He’s getting old fast, struggling with every move.
‘How’s my favourite family?’ he beams, finally reaching us and taking a seat. ‘You all sleep well last night?’
I give Maya another knowing look.
‘Yes, thanks.’ She helps herself to toast and nods at the kids. ‘We should get that lot to have breakfast.’
All three of them are busy scurrying after the ball, whooping and squealing and squawking.
‘Sort yourself out first,’ I tell her. ‘I’ll make sure they eat.’
But first I’ll give them five more minutes in the sun, running off some of their endless reserves of energy, before I shepherd them back to the table.
‘We missed you yesterday,’ I tell Bill.
After arriving the previous evening, our first day was spent in the cove and generally relaxing around the house. Bill waves a hand.
‘I had business to attend to. Solicitors. Dinner with associates. I’m sorry about that. Charles and Kathy looked after you though?’
‘They did,’ I confirm. ‘We had a beautiful meal with them last night. Louis and his family too.’
‘That’s good.’ He turns, squinting into the sun, watching the little ones. ‘How was the flight?’
‘Fine,’ Maya lies, with a wry smile. ‘Fourth visit with kids. I think we’ve got it sorted.’
In actual fact, it was trans-Atlantic torture. While Jack ploughed through an endless stream of films, or napped quietly in his seat, the two girls decided to fidget and complain and climb all over me for most of the six hours, much to Maya’s amusement. For the first time ever, I’d begun to wonder if Cornwall wasn’t a better idea.
‘So how’s it going, Dan?’ Bill asks.
‘How’s what going?’
‘The new gallery?’
Here we go. The yearly interrogation.
‘Great. We’ve just finished off a new wing. It’s light and airy. Some beautiful spaces. And Maya’s new work fits in there just fine.’
I can’t help it. I steal another look at my super-sexy wife. Good God, I’d love to peel that bikini off her.
‘What are you painting now?’ Bill asks her.
‘A lot of portraits. I’m overwhelmed with commissions.’
‘I’m surprised you get anything done,
