Page 13 of Best Laid Plans

To be honest, she was a little hurt that he wasn’t being more friendly towards her after she’d just rescued him from certain doom.

Not that she’d done it to be lavished with gratitude and praise, but to hear a simple thank you wouldn’t hurt.

Perhaps his alpha male pride had been dented, and this was his way of shutting the humiliation of it out.

But, even so?—

He turned back suddenly, making her jump a little as the shock of the movement yanked her out of her reverie.

Taking a pace backwards, he folded his arms tightly against his chest.

She tried not to notice how this made the sculpted muscles in his arms bulge in a rather attractive way.

‘So, you should consider your debt for the boots paid off,’ he bit out gruffly.

Great. An acknowledgement. Sort of. It wasn’t exactly a heartfelt outpouring of thanks, though.

‘You do know there are more sheer drops on the next leg of the walk, don’t you?’ Indigo blurted with a reproachful lift of her eyebrow, unable to keep her annoyance at him spilling over.

His face seemed to pale. ‘Really?’

‘You know, I’d be happy to partner with you for that bit if you like,’ she said loftily, ‘just in case you need me to distract you with my witty repartee again till we get past them.’

As soon as she’d said the words she regretted them.

Not because she didn’t want to spend more time with him, but because she knew, deep down, that it wasn’t altruism that had prompted her to make the offer; it was because she enjoyed being around him.

Even though there was a good chance she was letting herself in for more hurt and rejection here, she couldn’t quite tear herself away from him just yet.

He captivated her with his strange mixture of stern pride and compassion, not to mention the way he made her tummy flip when he looked at her with his impassioned, penetrating gaze.

She wondered again what could have happened to his marriage to make him so defensive.

‘Why would you want to do that?’ he asked brusquely.

‘Because I’m the better person,’ she joked, flashing him a grin, which he countered with a raised eyebrow.

She threw up her hands in exasperation. ‘Okay, how about we say each day of walking pays off a boot? In my mind, that makes us even.’

‘Okay,’ he shot back, ‘fine.’ He followed the word with a long, agitated sigh and glanced down once more at the sea beneath them.

After a moment’s pause, he looked back at her and finally smiled, his eyes lighting up for the first time that day. ‘Now, let’s put some more distance between us and this death trap and get to Positano before nightfall.’

* * *

They didn’t speak again until they reached the outskirts of the town and checked the details of their lodgings for the night, which suited Julien just fine.

After the humiliation of finding himself at such a disadvantage and having to rely on Indigo’s goodwill to get him out of trouble, he’d just wanted to sink into his own head for a while.

Not that he hadn’t been intensely aware of her presence beside him the whole way there. He’d been impressed with her fitness levels too – she’d not asked to stop once, even after a particularly steep ascent. No wonder she was in such good shape.

He forced the tantalising image of her lean, fit body that followed that thought right out of his head.

‘We’re staying on the same road,’ Indigo said, throwing him an it must be fate smile. ‘But I’m a bit further down the hill.’

‘Bon,’ he replied, desperate for some solitude now so he could get a handle on these frustratingly conflicting feelings she’d stirred up in him.

He was intensely aware that in another life he would have jumped at the chance to make more of their connection – but that he couldn’t act on his impulses, not here, not now.

It wouldn’t be fair, to either of them. Despite the whispered demands of his body, his mind kept reminding him he couldn’t offer her any kind of emotional commitment.

And, from what he already knew of her, he could tell that wouldn’t work for Indigo.

But the thought of saying goodbye to her now also twisted something inside him.

They reached the road they needed barely a minute later.

‘Well, this is me,’ she said, nodding towards the place where she was going to bed down for the night, with its simple crazy-paved stone frontage and garish sign which shouted: cheap, but cheerful!

‘And that’s me,’ he said with a nod towards a much grander building sitting proudly a little further up the hill, with clear sea views and an elegant iron-railed terrace for every room.

Only a little further up the road, but worlds apart.

‘Indigo…’

‘Yes?’

‘Thank you for not abandoning me to my fate today.’

He felt like a fool for saying it, but her expression lightened as if she was relieved to finally hear it.

His acknowledgement didn’t stop her from winding him up, though.

‘That wasn’t fate trying to tip you off a cliff, it was just reminding you that you should be nicer to me.’

He rubbed a hand over his face and snorted. She was right, of course; he hadn’t exactly been chivalrous about accepting her help. He’d been so embarrassed, his manners seemed to have fled him.

‘Okay, point taken.’ Despite being desperate for some time alone, he knew he should at least attempt to show some appreciation for what she’d done for him today. She’d certainly gone above and beyond the call of duty. ‘Can I buy you dinner tonight? To show my gratitude.’

She shifted on her feet, looking uncomfortable. ‘You don’t need to do that. I think we’re even with the boots.’

She wouldn’t meet his eye, and her body language made him think about how she’d looked on the beach after they’d been so close – so dangerously close – to kissing. The sensory memory was so acute he could have sworn he caught the same briny scent on the air mixed with her sweet floral fragrance.

He shook it off and folded his arms. ‘Look, Indigo, what happened last night on the beach – I never meant to lead you into thinking I was interested in a holiday fling. The truth is, I’m not in a good place right now.

I’ve only just signed my divorce papers and, to be honest, I can’t see myself wanting another relationship any time soon. ’

She looked at him sharply, her brow pinched, and held up a hand. ‘It’s okay. I’m not interested in a fling either. I just came here for a break. To walk and see the magnificent scenery. That’s all.’

He looked into her wide grey eyes and saw only steady resolve there.

‘Okay then.’ He cleared his throat, which felt strangely wadded and tight.

‘Well, let’s meet here at eight o’clock tomorrow,’ he said.

‘We should bring enough food to see us through to Nerano. Or, if you prefer, I can ask the receptionist where we can find a place to stop for lunch?’

She grinned at his rather clipped tone and rolled her eyes at him. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll bring a packed lunch with me so you won’t need to carry me past the finishing line.’

‘Good,’ he said, with one chastising eyebrow raised.

‘Good,’ she replied, pressing her lips into a pugnacious smile.

There was a voice in the back of his head warning him again about the wisdom of getting too friendly with her, but he pushed it aside. Neither of them was stupid; they knew what this was.

But, more importantly, they knew now what it wasn’t.