Page 37 of Best Laid Plans
Because meeting Julien had been the best thing that had ever happened to her.
As if her last piercing thought had penetrated his dreams, Julien’s eyes began to flicker open and he blinked hard, his pupils dilating as he stared into her face in confusion.
For just one heart-stopping second she thought he might lean forwards and kiss her, but he seemed to pull himself together and come fully awake, his brow creasing into a frown.
‘Good morning, Indigo, how are you feeling today?’
God, she loved how he said her name, as if he was stroking every syllable with his tongue.
A tell-tale warmth crept up her neck at the rogue thought, continuing upwards to flush her face with heat.
‘A little embarrassed if I’m honest,’ she said, averting her eyes from his searching gaze.
He shifted away from her and sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed.
Realising how disrespectful that sounded, she put out a hand to touch the smooth skin of his back, but withdrew it quickly before she made contact. It felt like too intimate a gesture. ‘I mean I’m sorry for crying on you last night.’
Half turning back to face her, he exhaled in a rush of breath and shook his head.
‘No apology necessary. I had fun.’
A bit of fun. That was all it had been.
A feeling of cold acceptance flooded through her, as if the remains of her hope was being washed away, leaving her thoughts clean and jagged.
Hardening the last piece of her heart, she leant down and plucked the towel that she’d been wearing last night from the floor and sat up to wrap it tightly around her.
‘Well, I suppose I really ought to get back to shore. I want to get to Sorrento before the end of the day so I can have a good look around before setting off for Capri the day after. Could you take me back in the motorboat, please?’
Her words sounded so perfunctory she cringed with unease.
When she turned to look at him, he was staring at her in confused surprise, then blinked and nodded as if coming out of a trance when he saw she was looking at him. ‘Oui. Okay.’
‘Thank you.’
Not daring to look at him again, she strode quickly out of the room and into the bathroom, where she’d left her clothes the previous evening after getting changed into her bikini, trying to ignore the voices in her head that were urging her to turn around and tell him that she’d changed her mind and that she could stay for a little longer. At least till they’d eaten breakfast together.
Pull yourself together, Indigo, you fool! You’re not a couple and you never will be.
Pulling on the dress she’d chosen with such care for their dinner together last night, she turned to the mirror to try and do something with her hair. It was sticking up in all directions after she’d slept on it wet and now it refused to play ball, so after a minute of fruitless fussing she gave up on it. She was desperate for a shower, but now she’d made her mind up to go she didn’t want to linger. It would only prolong the pain of leaving.
Giving her puffy face one last dismayed look in the mirror, she left the bathroom and made her way to the living area, where she found Julien sitting on the sofa waiting for her.
He stood up quickly when he saw her and walked with her towards the door to the upper deck, neither of them saying a word.
‘Wait.’ He put an arm across the doorway before she could walk through it, blocking her way out.
Her heart hammered in her chest as she looked up into his mesmerising eyes.
‘You know, Indigo, if you don’t mind missing that part of the walk, I can sail you to Sorrento, then pick you up again the next day and drop you in Capri. I’m going that way anyway. You may as well come along for the ride.’
It was so tempting. But what a ride it would be. Just the thought of having to put a brave face on for him, pretending she was fine with them just being friends again for the next couple of days, made her shudder with horror.
No, she’d be better to cut her losses now and walk away, while she still had some of her wits about her.
‘No. Thanks. To be honest, I don’t want to miss walking that bit of the track.’ She couldn’t meet his eyes. ‘I only have a couple of days left here before it’s time to get back to real life and I’m sure you don’t really want me tagging along for the rest of your holiday.’
He was frowning at her now, which wasn’t surprising as her voice seemed to have morphed into that of an ailing crow again.
