He didn’t touch me again until we were inside the castle. As soon as the door closed behind us, he pounced. It was like a dream, one where I was some kind of mature femme fatale instead of the nervous, unsure woman I was. It was as if I had a chance to reinvent myself as part of this deal.

It was only one night together anyway. Then I’d be flying home and no one need know what had happened between us. One night of letting go, of being free to let his hands wander all over me.

My body was already heating up. The process had begun on the boat, before we had even reached the mainland. Kissing him had been so intense, like no kiss I’d ever experienced. He was so confident, so aggressive, almost angry. It was like he was furious that we hadn’t kissed sooner, that he hadn’t known my body could do things to him and now he knew, he didn’t want to waste a second.

I had done things I’d never done before. His hand on my leg under the table in the cafe turned me on far more than I thought possible, making me touch him with my foot in turn, feeling how hard he was, wanting to know what his cock looked like, how big it was.

Then the boat. Me on my knees, him sliding into my mouth, the way he his cock had jutted towards me, obscenely sticking out from the front of his trousers after he let me find it, bring it out, feel its hard warmth.

He came in my mouth. If I thought that was the end of the night, I was very much mistaken. The taste of him was still on my tongue when I walked into the castle, my insides tingling, my pussy on fire with unfulfilled need.

He walked me by hand to the castle, not saying anything. When the door closed, he turned, pushing me up against it, his body crushing mine. I could feel him, he was already hard again. Before I could say anything, his tongue was in my mouth, exploring, stealing my breath, making me want him all the more.

My hands went around his back as he pulled me towards him, staggering back, still kissing me, slowly taking me upstairs, never letting go of me, not for an instant.

He used his foot to get my bedroom door open, shoving me inside and slamming it closed after us. “Strip,” he said. “I want you naked and on all fours in thirty seconds or there’ll be hell to pay.”

The words made me shudder. It was about to happen. My body was desperate for him to be inside me, fill the aching emptiness I felt in my core. I got my clothes off as fast as I could, kneeling down and pushing my ass back at him, trying to feel self-conscious, reminding myself that it didn’t matter, it was only one night. Tomorrow, I could go back to being me again.

“Head down, ass up,” he said, kneeling behind me.

I did as he said and waited, doing my best not to hyperventilate.

“That took thirty-four seconds,” he said. “Bad girl.”

I heard the smack half a second before I felt it. The sound filled the air and as I tried to work out what it was, the sting moved deep into my ass. “You spanked me,” I said when I was able to speak again. “That hurt.”

“It was supposed to,” he replied, doing it again before I could say anything else. “Next time move quicker.”

His hand went between my legs, stroking my thighs as I felt his breath on my ass. He kissed where he’d smacked me, my nerve endings on fire from what he’d done, oversensitive and feeling every single movement of his lips down my ass.

“On the bed. You have five seconds.”

I leapt up, climbing onto the bed and turning in time to see him pounce on me. He shoved me down onto my back, grabbing my legs and pushing them wide apart. He knelt a moment later, his head by my pussy, looking up at me. “You look incredible,” he said and before I could reply, his tongue was on me.

It ran up the length of my pussy, straight over my clit and then down again, nudging inside me as I let out a long moan of relief, the aching need in me finally being tended to.

I played with my nipples as he began to circle my clit, a finger slipping into me while he nuzzled and teased, expertly playing with me, gradually picking up speed as my hips began to move, grinding up against him.

I’d never been touched like this, so confidently, so sure of what he was doing. The finger inside me was joined by a second, thrusting faster as his tongue picked up speed.

I closed my eyes, feeling not seeing what was coming. I knew my climax was getting close, there was nothing I could do to slow things, to take my time. He was racing me towards an orgasm and he kept thrusting and licking until it caught me, taking the air from my lungs, arching my back, taking over my entire body, making me shudder as I groaned and bucked under him. His fingers stayed in me, still thrusting as a second orgasm followed on from the first, making me want to cry, I was so happy.

He slid from me, clambering onto the bed and stripping out of his clothes as he moved. By the time he lay on top of me, he was naked but he didn’t stop there. He continued to move upwards until he was sitting on my chest, shoving his cock straight into my mouth while I continued to come down from my climax.

I stared up at him as he fucked my mouth, his hands on my hair, holding me in place, making me gag.

Finally, he pulled free, leaving me gasping for breath as he moved back down, laying his body on top of mine, staring into my eyes. “Ready?” he asked.

I nodded eagerly, pushing my hips up towards him. Reaching down, he took hold of his shaft and placed it at the entrance to me.

With a gentle motion, he was in me, the tip of him just inside, stretching me, easing the emptiness, making me greedy for more.

“Fuck me,” I whispered, clawing at his ass, trying to pull him further in.

“I’m in charge,” he replied with a shake of his head. “For one night I make the decisions.”

He pulled out, leaving me growling with frustration. Then he was in again, this time a little deeper. I held my breath as he rocked back and forth, easing himself further forwards. Then with a sudden thrust he was buried in me. I felt so filled, stretched by his length as it twitched inside me.

We ground our hips together, him starting to make little rocking motions in me as over time, he slid back, thrusting in again, driving me wild.

We rolled over on the bed until I was riding him, impaling myself on his length, his hands on my boobs, tugging at my nipples, pulling me down harder.

My hand went to my clit, stroking it in quick circles, something I’d never done in front of anyone. I didn’t care that he was watching, I just needed to come again.

It didn’t take long with his cock deep in me. Another minute and I screamed, “I’m coming,” and drove down onto him, grinding in place, letting it wash over me.

He turned me onto my front before it had even finished racing through my body. I was on all fours before I knew what was happening and he was slamming into me, driving deep and fast, making me gasp into the pillow as I heard him groan with lust.

All of a sudden his cock twitched in me and then I felt it, a hot wet spurt deep inside me like no other feeling. I had made him come. My body had been enough to do that to him. He spurted again, the movements of his cock getting smaller as he slowed to a halt, sliding out of me and laying on his side, letting out a long breath.

I rolled over to face him, my chest heaving, sweat pouring down me. “That was…” I muttered.

“I know,” he replied. “You’re amazing.”

“You’re not so bad yourself. That was so good.”

He kissed my hand then let his fingers entwine with mine as we lay there together. I don’t know how long we lay like that but when I woke up, I was alone. At some point, he’d left me alone in the bedroom.

I sat up. It was morning, the sun streaming through a gap in the curtains. I went over and pulled them open, my body reminding me what had happened. It would continue to remind me all day.

I could see him out there. He was walking towards the loch with a towel over his shoulders. He was only wearing a pair of swimming shorts and my body tingled at the sight. I wanted him again.

One night, I told myself. That was all we had. I could walk. That meant I could go home. Sort my career out.

I sent a message to my mom, telling her to book me a flight. It took a while to send, the signal feeble, but it made it eventually. Then I looked outside again. There was no harm in going and talking to him.

I got washed and dressed and then headed outside. I found him climbing out of the water when I reached the shore, water dripping from him as he rubbed the towel through his hair.

“Morning,” I said.

“Good morning,” he replied. “Fancy a dip?”

“A bit cold isn’t it?”

“Good for you. Wakes you up.”

“I’ll pass for now.”

“Suit yourself.”

I was confused. He was acting for all the world as if nothing had happened between us.

“I signed your contract,” he said. “The one you needed.”

“I wasn’t even sure you’d seen it.”

“You left it in the smoking room. It’s ready when you are.”

“Then I guess we’re all done here.”

“I guess we are.” He slung the towel over his shoulder and headed back to the castle, leaving me sitting feeling utterly miserable. I had been sure something special had happened last night but it looked as if I was the only one who felt that way. He was clearly indifferent.

I waited until he was gone before getting up and heading inside. I was going to go straight up to my room and pack. If he was going to act like that, there was no point staying any longer than I needed.

As I walked along the grass, I saw a boat approaching from the mainland. It was Hedley bringing someone. Another minute and I could see it was Dr Montgomery standing next to him. I walked down to the jetty in time for them to tie the boat up.

“Good morning,” Dr Montgomery said as he stepped off. “Looks like your leg’s doing better.”

“It is, thank you,” I replied. “Hedley, would you mind waiting to give me a lift back over?”

“Aye,” he said with a slight incline of his head. “Dinnae be awa long though."

“I won’t. I just need to grab my case.”

I walked with the doctor towards the castle. “How’s the pain?” he asked.

“Much better.”

“You’re still limping but only a little. Should I have a look?”

“No, please don’t consider me rude but I need to catch a flight. I hope you didn’t come all this way just to see me.”

“No, I need to speak to Angela about her back anyway.”

“Then if you’ll excuse me.” I pushed open the castle door and headed straight upstairs. Cramming things into my case, I couldn’t get done fast enough. I didn’t want to look at the bed. That would mean thinking about last night, about me being naive enough to think something special had happened with someone special. Nope, just me being an idiot as usual.

There was a knock on the door and I spun round hoping it was Robert, hoping he’d come to talk to me properly.

It was Angela. “Mr King asked me to tell you it’s time to check out,” she said.

“Don’t worry,” I replied. “I’m leaving.”

I was downstairs a few seconds later with my case, Angela watching me go. I paused briefly at the smoking room to grab the contract before heading outside.

The boat was ready for me and as soon as I stepped aboard, Hedley untied the rope and we were off. “Goodbye, Castle Doon,” I said as we started chugging over the waves.

Hedley didn’t say anything and I saw no reason to start a conversation. I made it to Doon village in time to catch the morning bus. I sat on it, watching the loch fade away behind me, feeling an intense sadness. I had the rights for filming, I had achieved what I had come to do but that didn’t seem to matter anymore. It seemed unimportant compared to the knowledge that I’d been used. How could he have acted so casual about it all? And then to disappear knowing I had to leave? That was the most cowardly part of all.

I felt no better by the time I was on the train. Mom messaged me. The flight was booked. I was going home. By the time I got to Glasgow, I began to feel if not happier, at least calmer. It was over. It was never meant to be.