Page 21 of An Island Promise

Belle decided that phoning Diego straight away would be for the best, like ripping off a plaster. She knew if she left making contact for another day she’d start overthinking it, become more and more worried and work herself into a state. All it really should be was a professional conversation with a contact of Caleb’s about a business deal with Ushuaïa to benefit Spirit’s guests.That’s all it is,she told herself firmly as she plumbed in his number. She held her breath as it rang.

The last time she’d seen him he’d been naked in bed. It had been the second night she’d spent with him, and the last one – not that she’d known it at the time. She’d promised Gem and Laurie that she would be back in time to join them for a day at Ocean Beach with its poolside parties, so she’d left Diego sleeping with a quick kiss rather than what she’d really wanted to do to him… Her cheeks flushed as she remembered her intentions.

Part of her hoped he wouldn’t answer and she could leave a message; the other half knew it would be so much easier to get this over and done with.

‘Hola.’

The heat in her cheeks rushedeverywhere. ‘Hi, is that Diego?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’ve been given your number by Caleb at Spirit and I believe Cara has been speaking to you?’ She took a deep breath. ‘I’m Belle, the new events manager.’

‘Cara said you’re taking over from her.’

Diego’s voice was smooth and deep, the edges of his accent softened by the years of speaking English. Belle had imagined she’d immediately recognise his voice, but despite his tone being smooth and sexy it could have been any Spanish man on the end of the phone as he ran through what he’d been discussing with Cara. If her name had jogged his memory, he didn’t let it show.

‘The best thing is to come and visit and I can show you the VIP area and what we have to offer,’ Diego said after catching her up on the plans. ‘Are you free tomorrow?’

His suggestion took her by surprise. How many times over the years had she dreamed of seeing him again? Yet the reality left her heart thumping and palms sweating.

‘Yes,’ she heard herself say. ‘That’s a great idea.’

‘Good, I’ll see you at three tomorrow.’

Belle woke many times that night with fragmented dreams that faded the second she opened her eyes. She wasn’t sure if she’d been dreaming about Diego or if they were a twisted take on her recurring nightmare. There’d been plenty of times when she had dreamed about him before; plenty of times when she’d fantasised about him, even an odd occasion or two when she’d fantasised about him while being with someone else. She dragged herself from bed feeling tired, flustered and confused.

Belle had never been to Ushuaïa, the famous outdoor high-end club and hotel in Playa d’en Bossa, but she’d heard plenty about it. She’d never been to Pacha either and had been desperately jealous when she’d found out that Gem had gone there after they’d become separated on their last night in Ibiza. While Belle had taken a rather worse for wear Laurie back to their hotel, Gem had managed to hook up with a guy who’d worked at Pacha and from her sketchy account had had the time of her life. Belle had been well aware of what she’d missed out on: one last night with Diego. She’d unintentionally lost Gem but had been there for Laurie. However much she’d wanted to see Diego, there was no way in hell she would have dumped her seriously drunk best friend for the chance of having sex with him again. Friendship came first. Always. The trade-off had been not getting the chance to say goodbye to him.

By the time she got there the open-air party at Ushuaïa had already kicked off with the opening DJ playing under the blazing sun as people started to arrive before Tiësto headlined later. Belle felt the magic in the air and the sense of just how awesome the space was as she was greeted and escorted to the VIP area. The dance floor on three sides of the pool was expansive and guests were already milling about. She could imagine the crush of people later in the day dancing in front of the huge iconic stage with Ushuaïa emblazoned in red above it. Belle’s heart was in her mouth as she was led past a bar towards the raised VIP area with sections of pale-gold seating that faced the stage.

Belle forced herself to keep walking when she spotted Diego chatting on the phone with his foot casually resting on his knee. A torrent of confused feelings enveloped her as she took him in. His curls were cut short and his hairline had receded a little, but he was still hellishly handsome. His broad shoulders were encased in a snug T-shirt, and Belle was transported back to being twenty-one, young, carefree and passionate.

She reached him and his eyes met hers. He said goodbye to whoever he was talking to and put the phone down.

She thrust out her hand and gave her best I’m-not-really-bricking-it smile. ‘Belle,’ she said confidently.

Diego stood up, grasped her hand and shook it. His tall, muscular frame was still imposing and the smile he beamed at her was the same as the one that had first made her melt. As his eyes traced her face, his smile faltered. ‘You look familiar. Have we met before?’

Belle’s cheeks flushed and her heart skipped. Any lingering romantic notion of them locking eyes, remembering their passionate time together then running into each other’s arms was instantly quashed.

‘Um, yes, we have.’ She breathed deeply, wondering if it was the cologne he was wearing or just the general smell of alcohol, chlorine and her own sunscreen that was making her feel woozy. ‘I was on holiday here in 2013. You were promoting a club in San Antonio and sold us tickets, then I saw you again later that night…’ She looked at him intently, willing him to remember. She really didn’t want to have to spell it out. ‘We, er, kinda hooked up at Ibiza Rocks; I was with my two friends… It was July, the week your sister got married if I remember correctly.’

Diego caught his breath and his eyes widened. ‘I remember. Belle.’ He repeated her name, the sound of it rolling smoothly over his tongue. His eyes slid from hers to her lips, zoning in as if remembering. He nodded and returned her gaze. ‘We, er, had fun.’

‘Yes, we did.’ Belle’s cheeks exploded with heat as the memory of a stark-naked Diego doing all kinds of delicious things to her came crashing into her head.

Diego frowned. ‘But you’re here now because you work for Caleb?’

‘Yes, exactly. It’s a complete coincidence.’Despite me wishing for this very moment for years, she thought wryly. ‘I’m on the island because I took this job covering for Cara for the summer. This is the first time I’ve been back in ten years.’

‘And you’re here alone?’ Diego asked smoothly. ‘No, um, husband?’

Was he asking because he was interested in the possibility of rekindling something?

‘There’s no one else, just me, which is why I took the job out here. No ties.’ She shrugged nonchalantly. At least she hoped it came across that way.

Diego sat back down and patted the space next to him. ‘Let’s have a drink and talk then.’

---