Page 19 of The Wedding Pact

Our place for the next week is accessed from the hotel by walking along a long winding raised wooden deck, with eight separate villas branching off it, which are basically all sitting in the sea on wooden props.

We’re right at the end, in the largest villa, as far from everyone else as we can get.

I follow a little behind Raffa and Ahmed, who are chatting about Raffa’s friend, Elliot. It sounds, from what our butler is saying, that he’s a great boss to work for. Clearly Raffa has a lot of love for him too because he tells the guy a funny story about when they were living together at university and how meeting Elliot basically changed the direction of his life. Which piques my interest. I make a mental note to ask Raffa more about that and maybe look Elliot up too. He sounds like a fascinating guy. A bit reclusive now, from what Raffa’s saying, but that only makes him more tantalising to me as a subject. I wonder if I can somehow convince Raffa to introduce me to him.

He could make another great interviewee for my channel if I can swing it.

But that’s for the future.

When we get to our villa, Ahmed glides open the floor-to-ceiling sliding door so we can all walk inside.

He then proceeds to take us around the place, quickly and efficiently showing us how to work everything and how to call him if we need anything at all, at any time of day or night.

Mind, blown.

And oh. My. Goodness.

This villa is stunning.

It’s sitting fully in the water, so when you’re standing in the living area you’re looking directly out at the gently lapping sea. Outside, there’s a deck that runs the whole length of the villa, with our own swimming pool seated in one end of it and recliner chairs and parasols sitting on the other end.

Inside, in the dining area, there’s a fully fitted kitchen and preparation island with all the gadgets you could ever imagine – and probably never use – as well as a long, fully stocked spirits bar and a huge wine chiller stacked with expensively labelled bottles.

Through a door to the left of the kitchen area, I can see a small gym with all the most up-to-date equipment, including an erg machine and a spin bike.

Not that I’ll be venturing in there while I’m here. A gym bunny I’m not.

I’ve never been anywhere like this in my life. It’s like something from one of those reality shows where they’re all hanging out together on a paradise island, except the challenge here is going to be to not sleep with Raffa.

Because the more time I spend around him, the more I seem to want to.

But it wouldn’t be a great idea, I know that.

Not when he’s so caught up with his career.

Ahmed excuses himself, leaving Raffa and me looking at each other a little awkwardly now that we’re alone.

I’m suddenly aware that my pulse has picked up and I’m fully awake again.

‘Well, I’m going to go and check out my room and unpack my case, if it’s all the same to you,’ I say.

Raffa nods. ‘Yeah, good idea. Me too. We should probably go to bed soon and try to beat the jetlag if we can.’

I don’t think I’m imagining it. The atmosphere is definitely a bit strained now that it’s just the two of us here, alone together with the word ‘bed’ floating in the air between us.

Seeming to notice this too, Raffa starts to back away from me, extending the physical space between us.

The nervy kind of thrum that’s been ticking through my body intensifies.

Deciding that some distance from him right now is exactly what I need, I back away too, flashing him a friendly smile before turning and heading off towards my side of the villa.

I have to walk through a dressing room to get to my bedroom and find there’s a huge bathroom on the other side of it with a massive roll-top bath that you can lounge in whilst staring out at what I imagine must be an amazing view in the daytime.

I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to stand going back to living in my pokey little flat after this. It’s going to be a stretch, that’s for damn sure.

I see that my case has already been brought to my room, as promised, and put neatly next to the wardrobe. It looks so scruffy and banged up compared to the rest of the pristine, expensively interior-designed room that I experience a wave of embarrassment at the sight of it.

But whatever. Who actually cares?