Page 15 of Best Laid Plans

He smiled, his lopsided grin shooting a disconcerting dart of desire through her. ‘Non. I enjoyed our discussions today. It was a nice distraction.’ He didn’t say from what, but then he didn’t need to. He’d already made it plain why he was here. As an escape from bad memories. Just like her.

‘Anyway, I need more time to convince you to give my favourite thriller author another chance,’ he continued when she didn’t respond immediately. ‘I feel I’d be neglecting my duty to you as a friend if I didn’t give it at least one more try.’

The word ‘friend’ jolted her, reinforcing her resolution not to read anything more into this offer.

Despite her concerns, she couldn’t bring herself to say no.

Not if saying yes meant being around him for a little while longer.

She loved the idea that he’d enjoyed her company today and right now she’d take gratification whichever way it came.

After Gavin’s accusations, it was nice to feel like she had more to offer than just a shoulder to cry on.

‘Well, that would be amazing. I tell you what – since the rest of my money’s turned up, I’ll buy us dinner,’ she suggested, needing to retain a modicum of control in their strange non-relationship relationship.

He smiled again, this time with real warmth, the action of it lighting up his whole face. ‘Agreed. Then we’re even,’ he said.

This time she had to force herself to smile back, because of course the sad truth was that they wouldn’t be.

Not even close.

* * *

A couple of hours later, they were sitting at a table in a beachside restaurant with views across its private golden sand cove, groaning with pleasure after stuffing themselves full of what they both agreed was the best pasta dish they’d had since arriving in Italy.

‘I have to try and persuade them to give me the recipe for this so I can teach my evening class how to make it,’ Indigo said, looking round to see whether she could catch the eye of the waiter.

‘Give it a go,’ Julien said with a smile. ‘Just widen those amazingly persuasive eyes at him and I’m sure he’ll do anything you ask.’

He wouldn’t be at all surprised if she managed to do it either. Indigo had such a lovely way about her it was almost impossible not to give in to her charms – as he himself had discovered time and time again this week.

‘Ha! If only it were that easy,’ she replied, her cheeks flushing.

Looking at her now, he realised that talking and bantering with her today had been the most fun he’d had in a very long time. She’d ignited something in him with her quick wit and ability to best his arguments and he’d grown to like her more and more as the day had passed.

She was excellent company.

That was why he’d suggested she join him for a swim from the boat when he’d realised they were about to part ways back at her hotel. It didn’t seem like the right way to end things after they’d had such a good day together.

And he hated loose ends.

They were both quiet for a moment as they watched the waiter bustling about between the busy tables.

‘So where are we picking up this boat of yours?’ she asked, turning to look towards where a number of them bobbed out on the open sea.

‘Just over there.’ He nodded towards the other side of the cove where small rowboats and motorboats were being rented out to eager tourists.

‘You know, I feel like this holiday has turned a corner,’ she said, sitting back in her chair with a grin. ‘Only a few days ago it was looking like I was going to have to sing for my supper and look at me now. I couldn’t ask for more than this.’

When she looked round at him his heart nearly leapt out of his chest at the expression in her eyes. She looked happy. And the thought that perhaps he’d had something to do with that shook him to the core.

Get a grip, man.

‘Anyway’ – she cleared her throat – ‘I guess I’d better settle up.’ She turned to catch the waiter’s eye and make the international hand sign for the bill. ‘Then we can go and cool off in the sea.’

That sounded like a very good idea right about now.

* * *

A short while after that, they were sitting on a white sofa at the back of the yacht that Julien had chartered, drinking from bottles of ice-cold beer.

Indigo leaned back against the plump cushions and stared up at the cloudless sky, barely able to believe where she was right now.

‘You know, when you said boat, I envisaged something more like one of those,’ she said, pointing towards a small rowboat being paddled back to the shore by a hot-and-bothered-looking young man while his girlfriend lay back, blithely trailing her fingers through the water.

‘This is more like a luxury cruise liner, albeit a miniature one,’ she added, flashing him a teasing grin.

She’d been speechless when they’d zoomed across the water by motorboat towards this sleek, handsome yacht, which she’d assumed must belong to some millionaire playboy.

It had a kitchen aboard, for goodness’ sake, and a full-sized bathroom.

And a bedroom.

That last discovery had thrown her for a complete loop.

‘So are you going to sleep here tonight?’ she asked, trying not to sound as covetous as she felt. It must be wonderful to be lulled to sleep by the gentle rock and bob of a boat on the ocean. Especially if Julien was there in the bed too.

Don’t go there…

‘That’s the plan,’ he replied, taking another long pull on his beer. ‘Don’t worry, I can take you back to shore in the motorboat any time you want.’

‘I’m not worried,’ she said. And she wasn’t.

Not about him getting her safely back to shore, anyway.

She felt totally safe in his company; there was something very solid and steady about him – reassuring.

But when it came to the way she felt about him, the way her heart leapt and her stomach plunged every time he looked at her… well, that was another matter.

And there was something disconcertingly intimate about the two of them being here, alone together, in the middle of the sea.

They sat back, admiring the view in silence, watching the seagulls wheel above them as the sun’s final rays transformed into the warm glow of dusk.

‘I can’t believe they wouldn’t give me the recipe for that dish,’ she said for the umpteenth time since leaving the restaurant, using her annoyance at not being able to charm the waiter as a way to disguise her twanging nerves. ‘ And I gave him a really big tip,’ she added contritely.

‘Ah, well, you can’t blame them for keeping the secret of their success close to their chests,’ Julien said, employing a full-on Gallic shrug, which made her smile.

‘Yeah. I guess it’s fair enough,’ she grumbled. ‘I could probably guess most of the ingredients anyway. I’m going to have to experiment when I get home.’

The thought of home made her chest contract. She didn’t want to think about leaving here now she was having such a good time. Or the fact that she’d probably never see Julien again once she left Italy.

‘How’s your beer?’ he asked, breaking into her thoughts.

‘Amazing. Best beer I’ve ever tasted,’ she replied truthfully.

She didn’t often drink beer, usually opting for a glass of crisp, dry white wine when she went out, but it tasted perfect to her right then.

In fact, thinking about it, everything tasted or felt or smelled that much more intensely satisfying when Julien was around.

It was as if he made all her senses sit up and pay attention.

Whenever she was near him, she experienced this constant prickling frisson, as if she was plugged into a low-level electric socket, which made her heart race and her limbs twitch.

It was as if her body was priming itself for something to happen. Something momentous and life-changing.

But she was a fool if she thought it would. The frustration of this awareness only made the restlessness worse. It made her want to leap around or jump off something, just to relieve the tension of her unsatisfied need.

‘I’ve been meaning to ask – why the red hair?’ Julien asked, reaching out and smoothing a piece of it between his fingers.

The tingle of awareness grew more intense. ‘It makes me feel powerful,’ she replied, desperately trying to latch on to some of that power to give her the strength to keep her wits about her.

‘That figures. It suits you.’ He smiled right into her eyes, making her breath hitch in her throat.

She gave a little cough to clear the tension. ‘Thanks. I’ve wanted to do it for a while, but Gavin, my ex, wasn’t keen, so I didn’t until just before I came here.’

His eyebrows nearly hit his hairline. ‘Really? I was under the impression you don’t like to take orders from anyone.’

Huffing out a laugh, she pulled her feet up onto the sofa and hugged her knees to her. ‘I don’t normally. But whenever I brought it up as an idea, he accused me of not taking his feelings into consideration and I felt bad about that.’

She looked away, remembering the frustration she used to feel when Gavin laid on the guilt to get his own way. It nearly always ended up with her giving in to what he wanted when he did that.

That was something she didn’t miss.

Come to think of it, the hurt she’d been carrying around at the beginning of the week seemed to be greatly reduced now. Perhaps it had something to do with having something new and exciting to concentrate on.

Or someone.

Stop!

‘Okay, I’m going for a swim before it gets too dark,’ she said, springing up, unable to sit still next to Julien any longer, making him jerk in surprise.

Before he could say a word, she dashed down the steps to the diving platform, pulled off the towel she’d wrapped around her to cover her bikini and dived into the sea.

The shock of the cold water was a delicious relief against her heated skin and her heartbeat begin to calm as she swam steadily away from the boat, riding the gentle dip and swell of the waves, feeling a corresponding lift in her tummy.