Annie had always found it easy to make friends, but what she’d experienced since she’d arrived in Italy was something unexpected. She, Colette and Kim had become almost inseparable in such a short space of time.
She’d already shared with them the story of how she’d come to be there thanks to Felicity Finch.
“It was like something from a movie,” she told them over one of their late-night chats on the terrace beneath the stars. “All this time, I was doing this woman’s hair, making idle chitchat and thinking I knew her, when I had no idea.”
“Such a wonderful gift,” Colette sighed dreamily. “Not so much the money, but the freedom, and the opportunity to come here while you figure out what to do with your life.”
“What will you do?” Kim asked. “If the old woman meant for this trip to be life-changing, you’ve gotta honor that, don’t you?”
“And I will,” Annie enthused. “I’m going to enjoy myself first and foremost, but when I get back, I’m going to look into opening my own salon.” She frowned. “Problem is, while I know hair, I know sweet FA about money or how to manage it.”
Kim took a sip of her water. “It’s not actually that hard. But before you do anything major like find a premises or buy stock, first find yourself an accountant to have the company registered officially, and give you some advice on how best to plan things when it comes to paying taxes and stuff.”
Annie’s heart sank a little. She didn’t even know she had to consider that kind of thing. But she knew she could learn.
Then there was Colette. Her disarming naivete, openness, and unbridled generosity were more than Annie had ever come across in a person, with the exception of Felicity, perhaps. The English girl was genuinely good-hearted, though a bit immature in her ways, to be fair.
She was hilarious, too, in the way she’d reacted to Luca’s attentions after the accident. “It’s just so weird...” she confessed to Annie and Kim in the clinic that day, when Luca had slipped out to get her a fresh glass of water. “I just saw this gorgeous guy waving at me from the water, and yes, I thought I recognized him from the restaurant... But truly, I couldn’t be sure he was actually waving at me, because, well...why would he? So I moved closer, and then, bam—next thing I know, I wake up here. Or at least I think I’ve woken up. Maybe it’s really all a dream?” she said, without a trace of irony. “Because it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve conjured up some drama or another in my mind. I had an imaginary friend growing up, you know...” she rambled, sending Annie and Kim doubling up with laughter and considerable relief that their new friend was indeed OK.
Annie couldn’t wait to introduce the two of them to Harry. She was a bit disappointed not to see him at Music on the Rocks the second night she’d gone back there with Kim and Annie, but he’d reappeared a couple of nights later when she’d once again ventured down there on her own and, this time, neither of them held back.
“Well, hello there, handsome.” Annie grinned when he came up alongside her at the bar. She’d spotted him as soon as she arrived. Gathered in the corner with his friends, and feeling his gaze on her while she strutted to the bar—decked out in a sexy red tassel dress and strappy silver heels—she knew it wouldn’t be long before she had company. “Got your dancing shoes on tonight?”
“Depends on if I’ve got a dancing partner,” he replied with a devilish wink that made her go weak at the knees. “Though from what I’ve already seen, I get the feeling you could teach me a few moves.”
Annie smiled, enjoying the open flirtation and the confident way he was pursuing her. “You better believe it.”
Back home, lads usually needed a fill of drink before awkwardly trying to cop off. Harry’s suave assurance made him all the more attractive.
They’d danced all night and since then had met up casually again a couple of nights, mostly in bars with his mates. But tonight he’d asked Annie if she’d meet him for dinner, just the two of them.
A sure sign that, for him, things were heading beyond just casual. But Annie had kept him under wraps because she honestly wasn’t sure if it was just a holiday fling, or whether she was even that interested. And also because she was pretty certain that once he caught sight of Kim, she herself would be forgotten in an instant.
That happened a lot.
The American girl literally dripped with unbridled sensuality and, to be fair, didn’t even seem to realize that she was that hot. She certainly didn’t play on it anyway. Annie was usually the one who ended up flirting and chatting to fellas on their nights out, while of course Colette wouldn’t say boo to a goose. It was funny, but also made her and Kim a little bit protective of her, she thought fondly.
Besides, Colette seemed to have found a new protector in the gorgeous Luca. Man, he was a fine thing. The kind of Italian stallion you dreamed about meeting when coming to a place like this. Annie grinned to herself, suspecting he was exactly that—pure stallion—in the sack, too. She definitely wouldn’t mind giving someone like him a go if the chance ever arose.
And speaking of which...
Annie licked her lips. She wondered if tonight would be the night she and Harry did the deed. God, she hoped so. The summer heat here, especially the balmy nights, made her horny as hell and she wouldn’t mind working off some of that sexual energy.
They were meeting at a traditional trattoria in town that he had chosen. Arriving at the restaurant, Annie followed the waitress down a short stairway and into a cavernous subterranean dining area.
Arches lined in pale orange brick stood overhead. Square tables lined the walls and the floor was laid in a burnt orange tile. Paintings of the Italian countryside adorned the walls and the tables were decorated in red-and-white check-patterned cloths.
So far, so touristy.
Harry was already waiting at the table and Annie could feel her cheeks rise in a smile as she laid eyes on him. No doubt, he was a fine thing, too.
His sandy blond hair stood slightly askew at the top of his head and she had to resist the urge to pat it down, but it looked so cute all the same, like a bold schoolboy. Instead of his usual rugby-style top or T-shirt, tonight he was wearing a smart blue shirt, but it was his cheeky smile that really got her.
No one had ever smiled at Annie like that. And no fella ever seemed that happy to see her until now.
Thank you for this trip, Felicity. It’s helped me more than you know.
“Hey, beautiful,” he greeted as she approached, stepping out from behind the table to kiss her. His kisses were more intoxicating than any alcohol. It was as if he knew exactly how and where to move his lips so that Annie’s insides melted like butter.
“Hello yourself, handsome,” she replied jauntily.
“Allow me.” Harry pulled out her chair for her and she smiled at the gentlemanly gesture. She’d never had a man do anything like that for her in her entire life.
“Thanks,” she said with a smile, lowering herself into the chair.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I ordered a bottle of red to get us started.”
Annie paused a little. She really should refuse, given her vow not to drink too much and risk losing the run of herself altogether by behaving like a lush in front of him. She wanted to say no, but the eager look on his face made her change her mind.
This was their first proper date after all. She didn’t want to ruin it by coming across like a Goody Two-shoes.
“Perfect.” She smiled as he poured her a glass.
“So how’s your week been?” he asked, and Annie was surprised to find he actually seemed interested to know. Again, most guys she’d been with couldn’t be arsed with polite conversation—or indeed conversation full stop, she thought wryly. “How’s your friend after her accident?”
“She’s great—taking it easy, but that’s no hardship in a spot like this.” She was also touched that he’d asked after Colette. Just went to show that not only did he really listen to her, he also cared about what she said, and wasn’t just out for what he could get.
Though, she thought with a grin, she kind of hoped that he was interested in that, too...
“Must say I’m still impressed that you’re a solo traveler,” he went on. “Though I can’t quite imagine taking off on holiday on my own, I can see the attraction in getting time to yourself. The boys are great, but can be a bit full-on...” He shrugged. “It’s nice to get away and do my own thing for a bit.”
“I get you. Though it’s been sort of the opposite for me. I came to Italy alone but I’ve made some friends since I’ve been here.” She grinned. “Yourself included.”
“I’m not surprised—you’re obviously the sociable type.” Then he reached across the table to touch her hand. “And I’m very glad you chose to socialize with me, though I rather hoped you might consider me a bit more than a friend...”
A delicious thrill snaked up Annie’s spine at his touch, and she was sorry when shortly afterward their primi arrived and the moment was broken.
Despite the hokey surroundings, the meal was incredible. Harry’s posh upbringing had obviously made him well-versed in food and wine, and Annie was enjoying the fruits of his expertise.
On his recommendation, she opted to forgo the Italian old reliables on offer and instead try a French cassoulet, enjoying the rich mix of white beans, duck legs, and melt-in-the-mouth pork. He, in turn, decided on tartiflette, a savory potato dish with cheese, bacon and onions.
For dessert they shared chocolate mousse and clafoutis, a kind of berry-filled cake covered in a flan-like batter. Followed, of course, by two shots of limoncello, which, Annie noted, they pretty much handed out like water in these parts.
She guessed she was probably going to put on at least half a stone with the richness of this meal but for once she didn’t care.
Now she grinned as Harry fed her some of the clafoutis and she practically purred over the sweetness and the lightness of the crust.
“Told you you’d like this place.” He smiled as he watched her. “Now hurry up and finish that wine, there’s somewhere else I want to take you.”
She raised a curious eyebrow in his direction. “Where?”
“You’ll see,” he insisted mysteriously, calling the waitress over for the bill.
Annie looked at her glass. It was her second—or was it third? It was hard to tell when the waiter kept topping them up and it was still quite a way full.
With that and the limoncello, she was already feeling a nice buzz and didn’t want to run the risk of knocking it back too quickly—especially on top of all that rich food.
She was kind of sorry he wanted to rush off, too; she was really enjoying their conversation, and the opportunity of getting to know him properly without his mates in the mix.
“Just going to nip to the loo while you finish that,” he said, dropping a credit card on top of the bill. “If the waitress comes back, tell her I’ll just be a sec, OK?”
“Grand.” Annie wondered if she’d get away with just leaving the rest of the wine behind, but she suspected it was an expensive choice, perhaps even vintage, so she’d better not.
Actually... She idly reached forward to check the bill for the price of the wine, glancing at Harry’s Visa card as she did so.
Then Annie’s heart started to beat a little faster as she noticed something that made her pause and then look twice.
Strange...
“Ready?”
But she had no time to think about it any further as Harry had arrived back at the table and beckoned for the waitress to take payment.
Annie’s brain was reeling a little, both from the wine and what she’d just seen. Had she been imagining it? Granted it was so dark in here but...
She shrugged. There was probably a perfectly good explanation, or else she’d just got things wrong from the get-go.
As he put his arm around Annie’s shoulders and led her from the restaurant, everything else was very quickly forgotten.
Once outside, his hand slid down to hold hers, their fingers intertwining, and she smiled involuntarily. “Aren’t you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“I’d rather show you,” he replied mysteriously, continuing to lead her along. The pair walked along the streets beneath the olive trees, meandering off the main drag until a cliffside hotel just above Spiaggia Grande, the main beach, came into view.
Annie didn’t catch the name of it, not that she had much of a chance to, as Harry started to lead her down some steps cut into the side of the rock toward the beach.
She could hear the water lapping against the shore as they got closer to the sand.
“Take off your shoes,” he urged, as he began to slide his feet out of his own. He hooked them over his fingers and offered her the other hand for stability as Annie removed her heels.
Once off, she hooked the straps over her own fingers as they walked onto the sand. Thankfully, unlike Fornillo, the beach was less rocky underfoot and the damp grains immediately worked their way between her toes.
The cool water caressed their feet as they walked hand in hand along the shoreline. The usually packed beach was silent with no one around, only the faint noises from the hotels and restaurants up above.
Annie smiled headily. Now that she’d hit the air, the wine was very definitely affecting her.
He stopped then and turned to face her, pulling her into his arms. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to get you alone?”
Annie laughed lustfully. “And why’d you want to get me alone?”
He brushed an errant strand of hair from her face. “Why wouldn’t I want to have the most gorgeous woman in Italy all to myself?”
She had to laugh. “In all of Italy, huh?”
His hand slid around her waist and then up behind her neck as he pulled her closer, molding her to his body. “More than just Italy, even,” he whispered before his lips met hers.
The water cooled her feet as the rest of Annie’s body automatically started to ignite.
Annie. Control yourself.
She could hear the words in her head but they didn’t seem to be getting any further than that as she kissed him back.
She didn’t want to take control. She knew it was fast, but she was really falling for this guy. No, she’d already fallen. Hard.
“OK,” she said breathlessly when their lips finally parted. She leaned her forehead against his chest. “This is...intense.”
“What d’you mean?” he asked, kissing her neck.
“This is just a holiday thing, yeah?” she said, between kisses.
“Don’t worry about that now,” he replied and Annie groaned as he kissed her neck again. “Right now you’re here with me and that is the only place my mind is. I really wish you’d just be here with me.”
Her eyes drifted back up to his face. “I don’t want to be anywhere else,” she said, desire overwhelming her.
“So don’t talk about it. You’re here with me now and that’s all I want. Right this moment. Don’t you?”
Annie shivered at the intensity of his gaze and the power in his words.
“Yes,” she breathed before his lips silenced her. The passion in his kiss muddled her brain and sent all thoughts of caution scampering as her shoes dropped from her hand into the sand.
“Come with me,” he asked as they parted. He was as breathless as she was and the passion in his eyes was savage. He led them back along the beach toward the pier and Annie followed, her eyes wide, wondering if he was actually planning on an al fresco shag.
“Hang on a second. Where are you going? We can’t... Not here.”
“Not the pier,” Harry answered with a grin. “To the hotel... My room.”
Nice one...
Her limbs trembled with desire as they climbed back up the stone steps and hurried to the hotel.
In the lift, he wrapped himself around her, kissing her with such intensity that she felt like hitting the emergency stop button and going at it there and then.
This was probably going way too fast but she couldn’t stop it. And what else was new? Their heads were swimming and both were going under. She wanted him, desperately wanted to be with Harry.
Or whatever his name was.