Page 47 of The Heartbreak Hotel

They made their way to the front of the class, and Riley looked up as they approached. Nervous jitters surged in Ella’s gut, making her skin tingle. It was impossible to switch off, despite her brain urging her body to behave.

“Good session, ladies.” Ella caught the quirk of Riley’s mouth before she addressed Pauline. “You’re making great progress with the lion’s breath.”

“Thank you,” Pauline gushed, letting out a shrill schoolgirl giggle that pierced Ella’s eardrums.

Riley’s gaze flicked to Ella. “I’ll see you at the surf class later.”

Ella nodded, trying to ignore the butterflies. “Yep. See you then.”

They bowed and then headed their separate ways. Pauline chittered in Ella’s ear as they headed to breakfast.

“My eyes aren’t as sharp as they used to be.” She linked her arm through Ella’s, and her flowery perfume invaded her nostrils. “But I’m sure Riley was wearing the same shorts you were yesterday.”

Ella tensed. Oh fuck. Pauline had given her the third degree when she got home—until she’d managed to distract her with the cakes she’d bought from the market.

“Not this again,” Ella grumbled.

“I’m just saying, hun. Quite the coincidence is all.” Her sandals clunked against the stone underfoot. She nudged Ella in the ribs. “I think she likes you.”

Ella sighed. The woman rivalled Miss Marple lately—if Miss Marple smelt like talc and loved to wear mismatching prints. “I don’t think so.”

“I saw the way she smiled just then. The smile of young love.”

“Pauline.” Ella rolled her eyes and let out another huff. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Maybe she’s smiling at you. Checking out that neon tennis skirt.”

“Hmm. Perhaps it’s possible she does like an older woman. I read that’s popular among the LBQGT+.”

Ella laughed. “LGBTQ+. And yeah…she’s not wrong. Maybe Riley likes that too.”

Pauline giggled, something resembling a horse’s whinny. “You really think so?”

Shit. Ella didn’t mean to take the heat off her by throwing Riley under the lovin’-older-ladies express, but something about the idea had tickled her. And it worked—Pauline spent the majority of breakfast discussing the many ways to let Riley down gently.

Afterwards, Ella met Senhor Arenoso at his hut on the cliffs. As before, he was sitting cross-legged in the centre of the room, a soft breeze through the open doors swirling his burgundy kaftan. But instead of his dark hair brushing past his shoulders, today, it hung in a thick braid down his back.

Ella waited outside the door, looking out over the waves as they crashed against the rocks. Hopefully that won’t be me later.

“Ella.” His deep voice beckoned, and she turned her head. “Welcome back.”

“Bom dia, Senhor.”

His eyes combed her face, and the tips of his moustache twitched as he smiled. “Good morning, indeed. It seems the island is serving you well.”

When he didn’t expand, Ella swallowed. Did he mean Riley? Did Romeo say something?

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice small as she took a seat on the same chair she’d sat before. A mix of sandalwood and cinnamon was burning away on the shelf, pillowing small plumes of smoke into the air.

Senhor Arenoso rose to boil the kettle before turning back to her. He interlaced his fingers, and she briefly admired his selection of gold rings. “I sense your chakras unblocking. You’ve taken a step onto your path. How does it feel?”

She let out a breath, relieved she didn’t have to spin a Pauline-Riley distraction story here, too. “Good.”

He nodded, his impassive face not giving anything away. “So, Ella, tell me. What is it that you want?”

Her horny brain projected Riley’s strong legs wrapped around her head, but she looked past it, ignoring the pulse awakening between her thighs.

She needed to focus on herself. God dammit.

Her mind argued that Riley making her come was focusing on herself.