Hong Kong Heat Read online

  “Um, why the embarrassed look? Where did you get up to it?” Lena poked Debra on her shoulder. “Come on, dish the dirt. In the corridor? In the lift? In the pool… Mum, you devil.”

  Debra put her hands over her hot cheeks. “Well not quite, but, oh, Lordy, Lena, I almost seduced him.”

  “Wuss. Only almost? And you call yourself a liberated woman. Why only almost?”

  Was she actually discussing explicit things about her sex life to her daughter? It seemed so.

  “No condom.”

  “Fair enough. Okay and then?”

  In for a penny. Debra recounted everything. Well almost everything. Some details were best kept to herself.

  “And that’s it. She announced to the world—well, the hotel—she was pregnant. He broke our date without an explanation and so I cut my losses and went to Singapore. And even the doorman said didn’t I think it was great news. What?”

  Lena was shaking her head. “You’re in love and lost your marbles, Mum. Think about it. The doorman said ‘Isn’t it good news’? The guy who’d seen you walk in and out. No one sent you dirty looks or whispered behind your back. Braam didn’t hide you away like dirty laundry. Everyone thought it was all good. Somewhere you’ve got the wrong end of the stick. And you didn’t bother to find out what the fuck was going on. And yes, I’m swearing at you, you ninny.” Lena’s voice rose and her words tumbled over each other. “Don’t tell me you couldn’t have even said something like ‘Oh, yes it is. Who is she’? Or something. Hells bells, Mum, what a cock-up you’ve made. So what are you going to do about it, eh?” She stood up, grabbed a slice of carrot and ate it. A wailing noise came from behind her chair. Lena picked up the intercom.

  “Damn it, now Markus is awake and will need changing. And Tristan will be home from school soon. Think about it, Mum. Sort it out somehow, or you’ll spend the rest of your life wondering what if. And that’s a shite thing to have on your mind. Believe me, until Ronnie and I sorted our life out, I suffered from it. It’s nasty.”

  The wails got louder. “Got to dash. When Markus and I get back, I want your solution.” She set off indoors at a run.

  Debra sighed and finished off the bowl of cherries, two sticks of celery and half a tub of hummus. She wouldn’t mind the solution either. There was no doubt she had to do something, even if it was a basic ask why and say bye. Her problem was how?

  She sat in deep thought and rolled questions around her mind without getting any answers. Even if she got in touch with Braam and everything was above board, why should he forgive her? And even more to the point, why trust her? Debra stood up and restlessly wandered around Lena’s flower filled garden. The bushes and shrubs were at their late spring best and scents vied with each other to fill the air. A few early bees buzzed from one flower to the next and the noise filled the air in a pleasant think of summer manner.

  Debra had no idea how long she was alone with her thoughts until an excited squeal broke into her reverie.

  “G’ma. Up.” Markus tugged at her arm. “Cuddles.”

  That was easy. By the time Lena rejoined them, Debra and Markus were rolling over the lawn in gales of laughter as they tickled each other.

  “Any thoughts?” Lena went straight to the point.

  Debra rolled onto her back and held Markus high in the air over her head. He giggled and kicked as they made vroom vroom aircraft noises.

  “Oh, I’m going to have to see him somehow. Even if it’s purely to say sorry I ran. And if it’s true, to restrain myself from making sure he goes forth and multiplies no more.”

  “Right. Well, good to both of those. And this should help.” Lena handed her a slip of paper. “I couldn’t run to business class, but they said you can upgrade if you want. It’s a single ticket on tomorrow evening’s flight to Hong Kong.”

  She did. In her state of nervous anxiety, Debra accepted it wasn’t fair to inflict a wriggling, wide awake, anxiety ridden woman next to some poor unsuspecting passenger.

  * * * *

  “Well I think you’re a thick idiot,” Jack said as he and Braam sat in a favorite bar in Sai Kung and waited for Kris to come back from a bargain-hunting foray. “What were you thinking with? Your gonads? Hell, Braam, Kris had announced she was pregnant, I’d added to it and you just told your lady you had to cry off. Why?”

  Braam shrugged, once again feeling the younger brother who never did anything right.

  “Because I wanted to ask you first. Then introduce her to you both as someone important.”

  “And instead I bet you a weekend in Paris she heard me shouting we were pregnant to you.” Kris dropped several bulging carrier bags and a couple of boxes onto the table. She flopped into the chair and took a defiant slurp from her husband’s beer glass. “I bet she thought you were all kinds of shite and cut and ran. Anyone would. It sounded more than dodgy. I made you look like every sort of two-timing creep. You need to go to her.”

  “No I don’t. Either she trusts me or she doesn’t.” Braam knew his voice was harsh, but didn’t they realize how her lack of trust had almost emasculated him? He’d wanted to scream and shout and race after her. When he saw a new guest being ushered into her room, he had been shattered. Up until then, Braam had held on to the hope that she had gone to visit friends and was returning to the hotel. As he had no intention of adding to the hotel gossip mill, he’d checked the register once the day staff had left and seen the damning words ‘paid in full’ across her invoice. Even now, his gut churned and it made him feel sick. “I’m not going anywhere to get my head kicked in.”

  “Bloody hell, men. Braam Van Meister, are you a man or a mouse?” Kris asked him. She looked like a ferocious kitten. All flashing eyes and spitting.

  “Mouse,” Braam and Jack said together. Kris rolled her eyes.

  “That’s for sure. Anyway it’s called a Glasgow kiss over there. You know, getting your head kicked in. Well, nutted, but that’s what they call it. And I wouldn’t blame her, because seriously you made a right pig’s ear of it.” She sat back in her seat. “And I’d like a Jasmine tea please.”

  “Does she ever get fed up of giving advice?” Braam asked Jack with a wry grin.

  Jack shook his head. “Nah and in this case I reckon she’s spot on. Mind you I’d wear a box and maybe body armor.”

  Braam loved his brother and sister-in-law, but at that moment, he could see them far enough, as the saying went. He had enough to worry over without their suggestions. He’d traced the missing manager, but sadly not the money. The guy was stubbornly silent over what he’d done with it. There was going to be a lot of hard work by a lot of people over the following months to get that mess sorted out. Braam himself had been working sixteen-hour days and they weren’t all down to keeping himself busy so he couldn’t mope. Today was a rare break and he’d taken it solely because Kris had said she was worried and worry was bad for pregnant women and the babies they carried. Even though Braam knew it was out and out blackmail, he had accepted why she’d said it and had accompanied her and Jack out to the fishing village. It had also given him a chance to check up on his house. He was beginning to forget what it looked like.

  “I’m busy. I have a job to do.” And don’t say any more, his tone warned.

  Kris opened her mouth and Braam saw Jack shake his head.

  “All I was going to ask is when and where we’re eating,” she said in an injured tone. “I’ll have my tea with food. I’m hungry.”

  Jack guffawed. “When are you ever not? What do you reckon, Braam? Do we feed her? It’ll shut her up for a bit at least.”

  “Definitely feed her then. Come on, let’s go to Chicona’s and Kris can make you groan when she tells you everything she’s bought and ordered.”

  “Oh yes, let’s.”

  Braam had to smile as he paid the bill and followed them out of the bar. Their love was easy to see and he envied them. It was what he’d hoped he and Debra would have. However… Don’t go there.

  He shoved his wal
let back into his pocket and increased his pace to catch up with the other couple.

  “So, any names yet?”

  Jack groaned. “Don’t even mention names. I reckon it will be ones neither of us are genuinely enamored of, but we at least agree they’re not bad.”

  “Jacob Van Meister, I am not having a child called Augustus or Archibald. Make a note so you remember. I want nice easy to write and not get wrong names, like Lucy, or Lily, or Jack and Braam. Only Bram with one ‘a’. Don’t you agree, Braam?” Kris appealed to her brother-in-law.

  Braam held his hands up. She hung two carrier bags over them and giggled.

  “Don’t involve me,” Braam said. “I’ve enough problems of my own without getting involved in your squabbles. I’d go for A, B, C, D and so on.” He ducked Kris’ mock punch. “Come on, we’re here. Let’s eat.”

  Later he had no idea what he’d eaten. All he knew was that by the time he got back to the hotel, he was antsy and he didn’t know why. He should put in a couple more hours in the office but acknowledged that in the mood he was in, he’d be next to useless. Braam checked his emails, both work wise and personal, and saw there was nothing that was urgent. In his mind, he knew that nothing urgent translated into nothing from Debra.

  He poured a gluten free beer and after one sip tipped it down the sink. He didn’t want alcohol, he wanted Debra. He admitted to himself that he’d done everything the wrong way and he’d love the chance to put it right. Kris’ advice echoed around his head. ‘Go to her’. He shook his head and washed the glass up. Stubborn or stupid, it hurt that she hadn’t waited to hear his explanation.

  Sod it, I’ll go for a swim. He looked at the clock. Yeah it’s closed, but hey, what’s the point of having a pass key if I don’t use it? He’d been swimming at night more and more often. Length after length to chase the demons and the hard-on away. If nothing else, he would wear himself out and not spend all night reaching for a hot female body that was in his imagination only. He was sick of cold showers.

  With his mind made up, Braam stripped and changed into his trunks. One of the perks of having his accommodation on that floor was its proximity to the roof garden and pool.

  He tucked his key card and phone into a zippered bag and left the room to walk outside.

  The air was warm and humid and the sky clear. He could imagine the length of the queues to get the tram up to the peak to enjoy the view of the city. Apart from that, the waterside would be packed with people waiting to see the laser show that happened every evening. Lovers and couples and families all were enjoying the beautiful weather.

  Sod that. A pity fest is not on. He walked across the sitting area toward the gate to the pool.

  It was ajar and he could hear splashing.

  Déjà vu?

  Braam pushed open the gate and walked toward the pool.

  Definitely déjà vu.

  Whoever it was swimming couldn’t sing for toffee. The off key rendition of ‘Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair’ should have made him smile. Instead it lodged a great big lump of worry inside him. Once again the singer stopped mid verse and there was a loud splash then silence. A few bubbles popped up from the depths, but the singer-swimmer was nowhere to be seen.

  He waited anxiously as the seconds passed. Nothing, all he could fix his eyes on were those damned bubbles. Shit, had she drowned singing that stupid song? Not again.

  “Well, look what the cat dragged in.” She surfaced, spoke, then did a perfect roll under the water and he caught a glimpse of bright red underwear—yet again there was no way on earth the scraps of lace were a bikini—before she popped up again and pushed her dark hair out of her eyes. “Gonna try to wash your sins away? It doesn’t work.”

  “Tell me about it. Nor do cold showers when I wake up hard and horny and reaching for you.”

  “Yep, so… What we going to do about it?” She rolled onto her back and swam in lazy circles. Her bare breasts peeped in and out of the water as if they were playing Hide and Seek. “Do I make sure you never have any more kids?”

  “Be difficult to have any more when I haven’t got any already. I’m going to be an uncle, not a father.” He couldn’t help but get a grain of satisfaction at the way her eyes widened and she gasped. “That scene I assume you saw was my sister-in-law telling the world she and my brother are to be parents. She asked me to keep it quiet. I wanted to ask them if I could tell you and would have explained later. If you’d been around. Look, this is not the place to let me grovel and I accept I need to.” Could she understand the pleading in his tone? He hoped so.

  Debra stared up at him. The water glistened on her skin and the moonlight sent shards of light dancing around her. She looked like a water nymph.

  “So why don’t you join me? Or is jogging the only exercise you do?” She tilted her head to one side and like before, swam in lazy circles around the island in the center of the pool.

  Does she know there’s innuendo in that statement?

  “Come on, live dangerously. We can talk later. I’ve got my own explaining to do. But first? You know you shouldn’t swim alone at night.” She laughed. “So we’ll be helping each other in actual fact.”

  Braam dove in and swam toward her. “So… Hello, Ms. Intruder. We meet again.”

  “It seems we do. What happens next?”

  “This.” He bent his head and kissed her.

  Chapter Twelve

  Oh, Lord, it’s a romance novel moment. It was funny how your mind came up with stupid thoughts at important times in your life.

  As Braam moved closer to her and blocked out the night sky, Debra closed her eyes and let herself become lost in her own world of heat and arousal. Even her scalp tingled. The moment his lips touched hers, Debra’s pussy contracted. If she hadn’t been wet from the water, she’d be wet from her arousal. Her nipples ached and her clit throbbed. Every nerve was standing on end as they begged for attention.

  The water swirled around them and held them captive. She hooked her legs around Braam’s waist and let him carry her wherever he wanted. Deep inside her, a tiny voice of reason said she should slow things down and they aught to talk. In the mood she was in—hot and aroused—she quashed it. Reason later, touch, feel and taste now.

  Almost as if it was an effort, Braam ended the kiss and tilted his head back enough for Debra to see him clearly.

  “Shit, love. I promised myself if I saw you again, I’d explain properly and grovel. Then jump you.” He swallowed heavily and his breathing was choppy. “I…” He shook his head and droplets of water sparkled and shone like a white and silver rainbow above them.

  Debra laughed. Her heart was now lighter and definitely beat faster.

  “You groveled rather well, I think.” She tightened her legs and he edged closer. “In fact, perhaps you’d like to do a bit more?”

  She waited whilst he studied her face, then oh so slowly ran his finger down her cheek and across her lips. “Oh yes, but perhaps not in here?”

  A very theatrical cough made them both jump.

  “Definitely not in here. Get a room both of you. This is a tad too public for what I reckon you’re both thinking. Of course, it has nothing to do with what I’m hoping to get up to with Jack.”

  The pregnant lady Debra had last seen clinging to Braam like a limpet stood on the edge of the pool wearing a bikini that emphasized the gentle swell of her stomach. Next to her was the man she’d been clinging to at Sai Kung. Debra flattened the immediate surge of jealously that flared up when she saw how radiant the woman was and how both men looked at her with different degrees of affection. Oh, she believed Braam, there was no doubt about it, but if only he’d look at her like the other guy did at the lady.

  “Debra, this is Kris and Jack,” Braam said and laughed as he moved behind her and covered her bare breasts with his arms. His hard cock rubbed the cleft of her ass and she leaned back to appreciate the feeling even more. He tightened his hold on her and held her close. “Proud parents to be a
nd mega meddlers.”

  “Hey, not me,” the man—Jack—said with a tone of mock horror in his voice. “It’s all Kris and her cloak and dagger stuff that’s caused all the problems.”

  “No it’s not,” Debra said firmly. She had never been one to let other people be responsible for her own mistakes. “It was me and my lack of trust. I should have asked straight away who the blonde bombshell in blue plastered all over Braam was and not jumped to conclusions. Then when he canceled our date asked why. Not meekly stood back, simmered, stewed and ran. Mind you, I did run to somewhere nice.”

  Kris sat down on the side of the pool and let her legs dangle in the water. She moved them back and forth and created waves that slapped against the walls.

  “Hi, Debra. Blonde bombshell in blue, eh? I must remember that. Welcome to the Van Meister Madhouse. Mama Van M and I need you to even up the numbers.” She waved her hand in greeting. “This is Jacob, the other but not always wiser Van Meister brother. Proud daddy to be and about to make me a happy mummy to be. I need chocolate.”

  Jack hooted. “I thought you said you needed sun lounger by the pool sex?”

  “Jack,” Kris went the color of Debra’s knickers. “Shut up.”

  Debra decided it was time to say something. “Er, well, hello, I’m Debra and I’ve been enjoying Braam’s groveling.” She ignored Kris’ snort and muttered, “Oh, another new word for it.”

  “Seriously, it’s all down to me and my insecurity. My, how on earth can a ho—well, a man like Braam, fancy an older woman like me,” she said hurriedly.

  “And on that note, we’re off to talk somewhere private. Talk, Kris.” He emphasized the word. “So buzz off for a minute and let us get out and disappear. Then the pool is all yours. Remember to lock up behind yourselves and if you get caught, don’t get me to bail you out, okay?”

  “Well, that’s family solidarity.” Kris grinned as she said it.