Yesterday`s flower by Michelle Tarynne (uplifting book club books .txt) 📕

Inside the dark house, she felt the flicker of fur against her ankles and squealed.

‘It’s only Tammy.’ Max laughed softly as a silver-dipped Burmese made figure of eights between her legs. ‘Xssss, xssss,’ Max clicked, and the cat followed him to the kitchen, where he filled one bowl with Whiskas and a second with water.

Another Burmese with large expressive eyes, descended on them, talking to Max in a

soft sweet voice that made him pull out and fill another bowl. ‘Come outside,’ Max said to Erika, swinging open the back door to a reveal a swimming pool surrounded by a po ed garden of hanging plants, ferns and palms, all decked out in fairylights.

There was a heady collision of scents: something floral, bu ery, then lime, jasmine and frangipani.

‘It’s exquisite,’ Erika murmured, conscious that the air was still turgid with the day’s heat.

‘I thought you might like it.’

Max disappeared inside, returning moments later with two glasses of Amarula on ice.

‘We left our bathing suits in the boot,’ she said, her eyes meeting Max’s.

He looked back at her with an almost guilty stare. ‘Do you want me to go get them?’ Erika shook her head. ‘Turn around.’

She lifted the halterneck and unclipped her bra. In the silent garden, they could both hear the sound of her jeans unzip, the flu er of material falling. And then she was standing outside under the moonlight, the air caressing her naked skin.

With his back to her, Max’s T-shirt was soon tossed aside, then his shoes, his jeans ... And Erika, who’d promised herself she’d look away, took in the figure in front of her. Max’s shoulders were wider than Jared’s, his bu ocks more square and his well-proportioned legs covered in a blond down.

‘Can I turn around now?’ Max asked, and Erika realised that she wanted him to. When he did, she could see that he was already aroused. He stood there making no

a empt to cover himself.

‘Just no touching,’ she whispered.

‘You’re even more beautiful than I imagined,’ Max said.

‘You imagined?’ Erika teased.

‘From the first moment I met you.’

‘I thought you were admiring my sketches ...’

‘Your sketches are fantastic, but they don’t compare ...’ Max moved slightly forward. ‘No touching?’ he said. ‘Are you sure about that?’ ‘Your brother –’ Erika reminded him.

Max groaned. ‘I know, I know. I think I’d be er get in the water then, cool off.’

Erika watched him walk to the pool and dive neatly into the deep end, making hardly a splash.

‘Are you coming in?’ he asked re-emerging. ‘Or are you just going to stand there making me horny?’

Erika laughed, then slid gently into the shallows. The water against her skin was like silk, and warmer than the icy Atlantic. Not bathwater warm, but warm enough not to chill her immediately. An underwater light gave the water a blue, almost electric quality, broken only by the movement of their shadows as Erika flipped onto her back, floating like a snow angel in powder. The moon shimmered above them, and in the sky, as Max had once taught her, she could make out the Southern Cross. The memory of that night made her tingle.

How had things turned out like this?

Even here, with nothing between them but sheets of water, she was keeping her distance. But Max was swimming towards her – she could sense his approach through the ripple of the water.

Erika opened her eyes, to find Max’s face within breathing space of hers.

‘This is not a good idea,’ she said.

‘We’re just swimming,’ Max reminded her.

And Erika closed her eyes, trying to picture Jared’s face, Jared’s voice, Jared’s body. They were all there in her mind, but fuzzy and overlaid by Max’s face, Max’s voice, Max’s body.

‘I’m crazy about you, Erika,’ Max said, his slow strokes lap-lapping against her. ‘I think you know that. I’d care for you in a way Jared never will.’

And in the soft stillness of the water, she could hear his unspoken words. Choose me, Erika. Choose me.

‘I’m sorry, Max. I don’t know what ... I’m just so ...’

Erika dipped down and swam for the shallow end, feeling the heaviness as she lifted herself out, as if the water was trying to suck her back in.

‘You’re leaving?’ Max asked.

‘I have to go.’

She used her halterneck to dry herself as much as possible, then dressed, shivering.

Max had followed her out the pool, but made no effort to put on his clothes.

‘I’ll walk you back,’ Max offered, and Erika wished she could read his eyes in the darkness.

‘I’ll be fine, Max. It’s not far. I’ll text you when I get home.’ ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I can’t help how I feel.’

‘I know you can’t, and I don’t know how I feel,’ Erika said, wishing she could take Max in her arms, but knowing that they’d both be lost.

‘Can I call you tomorrow?’ Max asked.

‘Let’s just not,’ Erika said. ‘For now. I need to think. Just give me some time, okay?’ And Erika walked away, leaving Max standing with his arms folded against his chest,

lost and forlorn like a small boy, his teeth cha ering from the cold.

Jared was flying in on a direct flight to Cape Town from Singapore, arriving just after

seven thirty in the morning. He’d told Erika he’d catch a taxi, but she couldn’t wait, especially after what had happened with Max.

Erika stood anxiously outside the arrivals hall. With the airport still under partial reconstruction, she’d arrived early, worrying about parking. And now, pacing up and down as passengers rolled suitcases through the automatic glass doors, she wondered if she should have dashed to the loo. Too late, she thought. She couldn’t risk missing Jared, especially since he wasn’t expecting her.

By the time he finally emerged, wearing a pair of Levis and a plain black v-necked shirt, she’d coaxed herself into a frenzy. What if he wasn’t glad to see her? What if this wasn’t a happy surprise? What if he noticed something different about her, even if she wasn’t sure that there was? He strode forward casually, carrying his laptop bag easily over his shoulder. His hair was shorter, spikier, and streaked with blonde highlights, his skin darker than when he’d left. And he looked relaxed. Actually, he looked sensational.

‘Jared!’ She noticed how her body shook at his sheer proximity.

‘Erika.’ He smiled, dropping his bags, and picked her up and kissed her with his soft, insistent lips. ‘Hello, tiger,’ he said gruffly. ‘You smell wonderful. And you’re much sexier than a taxi driver.’

‘I couldn’t wait to see you,’ Erika said. ‘I hardly slept last night thinking about you.’ ‘Now that was silly,’ Jared replied, kissing her fingers, ‘especially since I’m not

planning on le ing you sleep tonight.’

Erika led Jared out the building, paid for parking at the automatic machine. Are you happy for me to drive?’

‘Sure,’ Jared said. He lifted the luggage into the Opel, shu ing the boot with a thud. ‘As long as you go fast.’

He pushed back the passenger seat so he could stretch out his legs. Before long, they were racing back onto the highway while Jared cha ed away.

‘Singapore’s a bit characterless,’ he said. ‘Overpriced and plastic, despite the government’s a empts at tourism. Raffles has a bit of history. Joseph Conrad, Noel Coward, Rudyard Kipling ...’

‘So you were in good company, then,’ said Erika.

‘Not,’ Jared said, ‘as good company as I am now. But I really preferred Thailand. Bangkok is raw. Real. Just a few days there and you know it’ll take a lifetime to penetrate the Thai psyche. Which makes it so much more exciting.’

‘And what about sales?’

‘Oh, brilliant response. The Dusit Group, Baan Krating Resorts, Imperial, Amari ... We should expect some hefty orders from those who haven’t yet signed on the do ed line. I had a translator, thank God. Being a farang.’

‘Farang?’

‘Foreigner. It’s all about etique e, respect. I would have got it so wrong.’ Erika glanced across at him. Despite the distance, he didn’t look jetlagged. ‘Are you tired?’ she asked, touching his thigh.

‘Not too tired,’ Jared said, pulling her hand between his legs. ‘I missed you more than I

expected. Visions of Erika Shaw kept popping into my head. ’

‘I’m glad,’ said Erika, trying to concentrate on the road as he stirred under her fingers. ‘Are you now?’

‘Especially as we’ll be able to do something about it the moment we get back.’ ‘Promises, promises,’ Jared said. ‘And we’d be er be ruthless about it. I told Heinrich

we’d meet the crowd for lunch. I hope that Sally woman is guarding the fort.’

‘Lunch today?’ Erika asked, hoping the disappointment wasn’t noticeable in her voice. ‘No time like the present. Now, don’t be selfish, Erika,’ Jared chided. ‘I promised you

my a ention all night, but we still have to eat. And I’m dying for a decent steak.’

♥

Wedged in between Heinrich and Susana, Erika wondered why she’d even bothered to come. Jared had insisted on si ing opposite her, but the table was wide, and the conversation had splintered into li le groups.

‘You’ve been quiet, Erika,’ Heinrich said.

‘I’ve had all those commissions to work on,’ Erika replied. ‘The only way I could catch up was by keeping my nose to the grindstone while Jared was away.’

‘And did you?’ Heinrich asked.

‘Did I what?’

‘Catch up?’

‘Oh, yes. Just about.’

‘Good, because you know how Jared is. Not sure how he’d feel trapped in that li le flat of yours. The man’s a prowler. He needs his space.’

Erika felt her hackles rise. ‘Jared has space,’ Erika retorted. ‘He’s just been away for three weeks!’

Across the lunch table, Jared’s eyebrows rose and Heinrich, blocking his face with his hands, pretended to ward off her blows.

‘Please don’t hurt me,’ Heinrich whined, sending Susana into fits of giggles.

‘Ha, ha, very funny,’ replied Erika, trying to curb her irritation with a deep slug of wine.

‘Relax,’ Heinrich said. ‘I’m only messing with you. You guys’re coming tonight, right?’

Erika’s heart sank. ‘Tonight?’

‘You didn’t tell her, bru?’

‘Tell her what?’ Jared asked.

‘Texas hold ’em, high stakes – just the way you like it.’

Erika looked across at Jared, hoping he’d catch the appeal in her eyes.

‘I was going to broach it, Heinrich. Give me a break, okay? I’ve just got back.’

‘Too many ladyboys over there, hey, Jared? Not sure who should be wearing the pants?’

‘Don’t be a prick, Heinrich,’ Susana said. ‘Jared’s probably tired.’ ‘Ja right. Like, when was the last time that happened?’

Erika looked at Jared, trying to gauge his reaction, but he simply stood up, opened his arms theatrically and bowed.

‘Good to know you missed me, guys, but there’s more than enough of me to go around. And for the record, Heinrich, there were a lot more ladies, than ladyboys in Thailand.’

‘Thank God. You’re acting like you’re considering a gender reassignment.’

 ‘Whatever.’ Jared sat down, smiled at Erika, then stabbed a final bloody piece of meat with his fork, and dipped it into his mushroom sauce. After he’d swallowed it, he opened his wallet, tossing a generous wad of cash at Heinrich.

‘Come on, gorgeous Erika.’ He pushed his chair back. ‘I want to go walk in my vines.’

♥

Their difficulties with Max seemed to have slipped Jared’s mind completely, and in some ways, Erika