White Christmas Ch. 02

But now, he felt...possessive.

When they were out together back in the states, men were constantly gazing at Ellie, but more often than not, eyes would politely avert once they caught sight of the diamond on her left hand.

But here on the island, the ring was hardly a deterrent.

In fact, it almost seemed like an attractant.

A quick glance around the airport was all David needed to confirm that Giroux was hardly the only man overtly lusting after his oblivious young wife.

"Her name?" Giroux asked.

"Ellie," David answered quickly. He watched as Giroux smiled in his wife's direction, his gaze dropping from her face to the gentle curves of her body, hardly obscured by the tight jeans and modest sweater that she wore.

It was a far departure from the style of clothing Ellie usually wore, typically dresses and high heels, but she still looked like an angel, a little fairy, as Giroux had said. David knew his Ellie normally loved shopping trips and dressing up, but ever since the miscarriage, she didn't seem to find any joy in her wardrobe.

She didn't seem to find joy in anything at all.

David's phone vibrated in his pocket as the women surrounding his wife posed for a picture around her. He rolled his eyes when he noticed that it was Sabrina calling, yet again.

He hit ignore, and sent her a quick text.

I already told you — no contact this week.

He prepared to put the phone away, but sighed heavily when a new message came through, almost immediately.

David I need to talk to you now. It's urgent.

David quickly activated the "Do Not Disturb" feature on his phone, before Sabrina could call or send another message.

He needed to focus on his wife, distraction-free.

"Well, Monsieur, if there's anything at all we can do to ensure your enjoyment of the island, please don't hesitate to ask. As a friend of Monsieur Grayson, you are most esteemed guests," Giroux said.

David was suddenly struck with inspiration. It wouldn't be much, but perhaps it could cause Ellie to smile, if even for just a moment.

"Actually, there is something you can do..."

******

******

Under different circumstances, Ellie would have been overwhelmed with joy and excitement.

There was no denying the island was spectacular, designed with a level of sophistication and luxury that actually left her fumbling with embarrassment. Ellie had needed to quickly learn to be comfortable with finer things as David's wife, but the resort seemed to reveal a brand new level of extravagance she was entirely unprepared for: a fairy tale. With its lush flora and stunning architecture, the island seemed almost magical, it was so unfathomably beautiful.

But unfortunately, Ellie couldn't relax and appreciate the scenic coastal drive from the airport to the main island hotel, or even the local history lesson and brief walking tour that the concierge provided. She simply couldn't pay much attention, despite her desire to learn as much about this new culture as possible.

For to her continued unease, David seemed even more distracted than she was, eyes fixed on his phone as they ventured from one activity to the next. He only ever raised his eyes to provide generous tips to each new attendant.

To her shame, she found herself actuallywishing that he was working. As disappointing as it would be, it was far superior to the alternative scenario of David texting back and forth with Sabrina.

Ellie wanted so badly be angry with him. But she found that she was simply too defeated to rouse such powerful feelings. She didn't have the energy to sustain them. Instead, Ellie was dejected, heartbroken and exhausted, and she prayed that the next week would quickly pass.

Perhaps she could try to catch up on sleep, and mentally prepare herself to contact a lawyer upon her return to the states.

"A cocktail, Madame Blake?" a kind, French-accented voice asked. They were sitting at the hotel restaurant in a secluded outdoor cabana overlooking a waterfall. The hotel had prepared a light brunch with beautifully appetizing foods, but Ellie still felt too sick to eat anything.

The waitress was tall, tanned, and absolutely stunning, with bright green eyes and wavy black hair that fell all the way to her hips. She actually looked a bit like Sabrina, and Ellie felt smaller and more intimidated than ever.

Before she could fully succumb to insecurity, Ellie shook her head and smiled as brightly as possible.

"Thank you so much," Ellie replied as kindly as possible, accepting a slushy cocktail contained by a hard-shelled, deep orange fruit Ellie had never before seen.

The woman then turned to David and offered him the same drink, which he refused without once looking away from his phone.

Ellie slowly slipped the drink as she longingly gazed at the other guests at the restaurant. They were mostly couples, as far as she could tell, all of them clearly in love with one another. She paused at one particular couple, who appeared so transfixed on each other it was as if nothing else in the world existed. They were an attractive pair, in their early-to-mid fifties, but they interacted like newlyweds, giggling and whispering and sneaking kisses.

Ellie sighed, wishing strongly that her husband would look at her in the same way.

"So it looks like our accommodations have been fully prepared. Are you ready to go?" David asked suddenly. Ellie jumped at the sound of his voice, for he'd been almost entirely silent all morning.

Too afraid to look at him, Ellie shifted her gaze to the waterfall.

"We're not staying here?" she asked. She heard David chuckle.

"No, sweetheart. I've arranged for something a bit more exclusive for us," he said, standing from the table.

Ellie stole one last glance at her favorite couple of the restaurant before she silently gathered her purse and followed David outside.

As the chauffeur drove them away from the hotel, Ellie wondered if perhaps they would stay in one of the seaside bungalows, a series of luxurious little cottages in the same architectural style of the main resort. They looked charming and delightfully rustic, with dark wooden walls and wide windows, a truly relaxing island experience, but further the driver traveled, until the resort was nearly out of sight.

Elie sighed and leaned against the window of the car as she sipped more of her cocktail. She could already feel the sweet alcohol starting to go to her head with a sudden, unexpected potency, a likely consequence of the lack of food in her stomach, no doubt.

Eventually, the car began to slow as they approached what appeared to be a private pier, guarded by two men who looked like government, or army, officials.

For a brief moment, Ellie had a terrifying fear that her husband intended to have her killed.

She slightly strained to hear the driver as he rolled down the window to speak to the approaching guard.

"...oui, pour la semaine...Monsieur Blake,je vous prie de bien vouloir m'excuser," the driver muttered quietly.

"C'est n'est pas grave, Roland.Prends ton temps," David replied casually. Ellie's eyes widened. She knew that her husband had studied French while he was in school, but never before had she heard him speak so fluently.

"What they are saying?" Ellie asked David. She was becoming increasingly bothered by the sight of the large machine gun that the guard speaking to the driver was carrying.

To her displeasure, and shameful excitement, David looked at her with his seductive smile.

"It's a surprise, Ellie love. It will only be a few more moments," he replied, placing a firm hand over her thigh.

Ellie shifted her attention to the second guard on the other side of the car who was reading something on a slim smart phone. He shared a look with the guard by the driver's window and nodded, and suddenly, the first guard beamed with a nervous, almost apologetic grin as he glanced into the back seat.

"Monsieur et Madame Blake! Bienvenue...J'espère que vous apprécierez votre séjour," he said, before opening the door.

"David, what's going on?" Ellie asked nervously. The second guard opened the door on her side, and not knowing what else to do, Ellie followed David's movements as he exited the car and strode towards the pier.

"That's where we're staying," David said, pointing out over the ocean into the distance. There was another, smaller island, covered with lush palm trees. Ellie squinted, and was finally able to see what looked like the roof of a large villa.

And her fruity drink slipped from her hand and fell onto the pier.

******

They reached the private island after a brief boat ride, and it seemed even more beautiful upon arrival. An estate that seemed to be a larger version of the bungalows on the main resort dominated the center of the small island. The front of the villa was surrounded by giant, highly fragrant roses in vivid, deep colors Ellie had never before seen in the flowers, with a fragrance so overwhelmingly sweet that she almost felt drugged.

"This is incredible, David," Ellie heard herself say.

"I figure you've had more than your fair share of harsh winters, love. I thought you might enjoy a different kind of White Christmas this year," David replied.

Ellie looked down at the sand as they walked towards the estate entrance, and realized it was a shade of white so pure it could have easily been mistaken for snow, if it weren't for the growing heat surrounding them.

"We're truly staying here?" Ellie asked, still in disbelief. She watched as David opened the glass front doors and led them into the foyer.

"It's ours for the week, Ellie. Now why don't you take a look around," David urged with a light tap on her hip.

Obediently, Ellie began to explore the downstairs, taken aback by the panoramic views of the ocean and jungles the estate offered, framed by exceptional woodwork. Almost all of the outer walls were glass, and if they were anywhere else, Ellie would have felt vulnerable and exposed. But they were on an island, entirely by themselves, protected by nature, and Ellie felt no fear of any intruders.

There was a modern kitchen, with a refrigerator already stocked with varying meats, breads, fruits, and vegetables, and an intimate dining area overlooking a naturally-constructed swimming pool and jacuzzi. The living areas featured beautiful paintings and sculptures by indigenous artists, along with a well-hidden sound system that played relaxing island-inspired Christmas songs.

Ellie traveled up the curved staircase, delighted to find that most of the upstairs rooms opened to a wide wrap-around gallery, in perfect view of the ocean and distant surrounding islands. She could already picture herself enjoying a bubble bath with a glass of wine in one of the spa tubs, with the windows open, simply watching the stars and enjoying the salty-sweet breeze of the sea as she soaked.

Perhaps David would even join her in the bath...

Ellie cursed herself for her wayward thoughts, not quite believing she could be so shameless. Her husband was having an affair! How could she eventhink about making love to him?

The answer was painfully obvious: because she loved him. Irrevocably and inexplicably, she still loved her husband.

And in order to save herself, she needed to learn how to fall out of love with him.

But the suggestion seemed increasingly difficult as Ellie continued to explore the house. How could she possibly stop loving her husband if hestill insisted on being so romantic and thoughtful? Even the bouquets in the vases on almost every table seemed to contain only her favorite flowers.

Was he trying to confuse her?

Ellie absently opened the doors to what she assumed was the master bedroom, and her breath caught in her throat once she took a look inside.

A circular, platformed bed with a thin silk canopy sat in the center of the room, covered in multi-colored rose petals. The door-windows were open, silk curtains flowing gently in the air as the waterfall immediately outdoors softly cascaded. With side windows opening to lush jungle, the large bedroom almost felt like a treehouse. Ellie found even more bouquets of flowers throughout the room, in addition to an ice bucket containing a bottle of her favorite champagne, with crystal flutes.

Ellie couldn't help but smile internally — David had always been wonderful with surprises. With a mother as strong-willed and opinionated as his, David had certainly been well-schooled in how to charm and romance a woman.

Remembering she was now fully sober, Ellie reached for the bottle of champagne, but a giant, bright red ribbon to her right made her pause.

Curious, Ellie walked towards the ribbon, realizing it enclosed double doors. She bit her lip, unsure of what the ribbon concealed, and on an impulse, she slowly untied it.

When the doors fell open, Ellie couldn't contain her gasp of surprise.

She'd departed earth, and entered girl heaven.

The closet was filled with clothes — brand new dresses, shoes, bags, and bikinis by all of her favorite designers. She admired the couture, shocked to find that not only did David remember her style, but also, herexact sizes.

"Merry Christmas, baby," David said. Ellie jumped, unaware that he was even behind her.

"Did you pick these yourself?" Ellie asked, admiring a colorful, gossamer floor-length gown of delicate chiffon.

"Well, I had help. Monsieur Giroux and the hotel staff were sending me photos of options while we were touring this morning. I do hope you'll excuse my rudeness earlier, love," David replied.

A sudden bloom of hope filled Ellie's chest. Hehadn't been chatting with his mistress all morning.

He'd been planning a surprise for her.

Ellie felt speechless, overwhelmed by the extravagance, but more overwhelmed by David's thoughtfulness. Surely only a man in love would bother with such effort.

With a deep breath, Ellie turned towards David, and found herself comforted by the effortless, familiar way his arms surrounded her body.

She rested her head against his chest, and softly inhaled the scent of his cologne, remembering again what a full sensory turn-on her husband had always been for her.

There was so much she wanted to talk about, and so much she wanted to say, and for a moment, she had a feeling that there was much that David wanted to talk about as well.

But neither of them spoke, or even moved. Instead, they silently held each other as they stood just outside of the closet, with nothing between them except for the ocean breeze.

For the first time in months, Ellie's mind was not overrun by sadness.

Or fear.

Or anger.

Or even betrayal.

Ellie was simply overwhelmed with gratitude.

"Thank you, David," she said.