Julia glared at him –

“That’s it?” She said, incredulous.

“We’ll call you,” Marlon said, walking away.

“But I thought you were going to…”

Marlon silenced her with the now very familiar wave of dismissal.

“Just keep reading that goddamned brief.”

Lost in anti-climax, Julia rose slowly, reluctantly. The meeting had been a complete waste of time – just as she’d imagined it would be. But as she turned towards the door – as Marlon and Singh were exchanging some further, obscure communication – Buck slipped her a note.

6.4

Max lay sprawled on the couch, basking in the languid sexual aftermath. He was happy. He’d only been in India for a few hours, and seen nothing of it at all, but he already loved the feel of the place – the intense heat of it – the moisture in the air – the luscious velvet sheen it put on Rita’s skin.

“So,” he said. “What do you want to do?”

“Not much.”

“Don’t you want to go out?”

“Not after that trip in the taxi.”

“What?”

Max had loved the taxi ride – it was thrilling in a way he could not yet describe.

“You just want to stay here?”

Max was amazed. He could hear the buzz of the street beckoning – music, life, people celebrating – who knows what? He could already feel the adrenalin kicking into his legs with anticipation.

“We’ve only got a few days,” she said.

Max sat up. Surely she didn’t want to hang around in the room the whole time –

“What about eating?”

“We can get food sent up.”

“But…”

“Are you sick of me already?” she said, touching his thigh.

“Not at all!” Max protested. “But it does sound quite interesting out there.

Don’t you think?”

“It’s crazy out there,” she said.

“I know!”

That was what he liked! The unpredictability – that was exactly what he wanted to explore –

“Let’s at least go for a walk.”

“I’d rather just stay here – with you.”

6.5

Back in the privacy of her room, Julia opened the note –

“Meet me at midnight?

“The Harbour Bar?”