Read No Strings (Broken Strings) Online
Authors: Jo Briggs
“This is my first time here. The travel agent recommended
it well as a place to have a secluded holiday, which is why I choose the villa
in contrast to a hotel, in the centre of town.” Indi’s soft voice penetrated
his thoughts of how enjoyable it was to have a carefree conversation with a
woman without worrying about Caitlin showing up.
Since the pre-nuptial had been signed, she’d developed an
unfortunate habit of showing up, whenever he went out on promotional dinners
with female executives from the record label, and then embarrassing him by
making a scene by accusing him of sleeping with them. He did have to hand it
to Caitlin she played the role of jealous psycho girlfriend well, but he wasn’t
fooled. She had an ulterior motive for agreeing to the marriage. He had photos
to prove it. He was just biding his time of playing his trump card when he
returned to England.
Turning his attention back to his neighbour, Grey mused that
Caitlin certainly would have something to worry about if she knew what effect
the proximity of this woman’s body had on his. When the waiter had first led
him to the table, and he discovered his table companion was to be his sexy
neighbour, he’d been thankful for the light jacket he was carrying in front of
his body. He had barely contained the reaction that sprung from his groin as
his eyes lingered on the low dipped neckline of Indi’s tight yellow summer
dress as it revealed a generous amount of bronze cleavage.
“You were recommended well, you can spend the whole of the
holiday undisturbed in the villa if you only explored the beach and surrounding
area. Well away from the bustle of the tourist trail.” He offered a small
smile. “I hope my presence next door won’t disturb your solitude too much. I
promise I won’t be having any wild parties!”
Indi giggled. It was the first time he’d experienced her
laughter; its sweet sound brought a joyful expression to his face. “I don’t
mind wild parties, as long as I’m invited to one.” Her tone flirty.
Grey raised an eyebrow in surprise, caught off guard at her
sudden playful comment after their subdued beginning. “I’m sure that could be
arranged.” He countered.
A wild party with just the two of them involving
a jacuzzi, her bare skin and some champagne certainly sounded delightful to him
,
he mused to himself. His body reacted to such a notion with a spreading of
warmth in his groin area, making the fabric of his trousers feel much tighter
than before. He was relieved that he wouldn’t have to get up from the table
for a while.
The waiter had the forethought to hold off on the food she
had ordered before he joined her table so that their food arrived at the same
time, and they spent the following fifteen minutes just eating in silence.
Grey took any opportunity to admire his dinner partner’s body, whenever Indi
was looking down at her plate and placing the next mouthful of food on her
fork, so she wasn’t aware he was observing her blatantly.
His male cravings were heightened to painful levels as his
gaze moved over her slender neck, noting thankfully naturally pert breasts from
what he could tell. Fake ones truly turned him off - just another reason to
feel distaste when he saw Caitlin. His future wife was slender, and pretty
enough, but he couldn’t abide the fakeness of the plastic barbie look that she
and many of her model contemporaries put their bodies through. He also
appreciated her slim waist, but equally he felt drawn to the need to discover
the hidden depths of Indi’s personality.
Indi felt a powerful attraction for this handsome stranger
across from the dinner table. Even with her longing for solitude when she
first arrived on the island, she couldn’t help, but be drawn to the idea of
getting to know he
r neighbour better.
Much better
.
She certainly wasn’t looking for anything meaningful, but
she craved the prospect of his company while they were alone together on
holiday even if it ended amicably as they flew back to the respective destinations.
The idea of cleansing her mind of her stranger anxieties by having a flirtation
with her sexy neighbour could either seem the most craziest or sanest thing she
had ever thought of doing. From the looks he had been giving her over dinner,
he seemed to find her somewhat attractive.
The sense of familiarity she experienced since first setting
eyes on him still had not dissipated, in fact, being in his company had only
intensified it. She just couldn’t place where from.
With the main course out of the way, Indi decided to find
out more about Grey as they had only discussed the tourist excursions she had
been on. Her curiosity had been growing as to why a man on holiday alone needed
bodyguards to shadow his every move.
“So did you have to go on-the-run to lose your friends
tonight?” Indi could not resist bantering as she nursed the remainder of her
non-alcoholic drink now that her earlier nerves had subsided enough to allow a
glimmer of her old confidence to shine through.
A frown creased over Grey’s forehead as he looked puzzled
for a moment. “Oh, you mean my security guys – I did have to negotiate a
release of sorts.” He chuckled.
“Do you mind if I ask what you do?” Indi knew she was being
nosey, but the buzz from being in his company and having him look so
appreciatively at her made her eager to know more about him.
Another crease of his forehead, a lingering hesitancy, added
to his expression. “I’m involved in music.”
“Are you famous or something that you need security to keep
the fangirls away?” Indi had meant it as a joke at first, but as soon as she
said it, everything started to click in place in her head, her mouth nearly
dropping open as realisation hit her and she darted her gaze down at her drink
so he couldn’t guess she was one such fangirl. He was Grey Bailey. He wasn’t
just involved in music; he was music as far as she was concerned. Clamping her
lips shut she tried to maintain a calm front while inside she was screaming.
Oh
my god! Oh my god! I am sharing a table with the GREY BAILEY.
When she dared to raise her eyes to meet his gaze he was
looking at her inquisitively, a self-assured smile playing on his lips. “You
recognise me, don’t you?”
Indi smiled coyly, “Was I that obvious?” A blush rising over
her cheeks as she realised how unsuccessful at hiding her reaction she had
been. Had he been able to read all her reactions to him so easy, the racing
heart when she had first seen him standing beside the table, the tingling
nerves sweeping over her body as he touched her hand.
“It comes with the territory. It seems there are three types
of recognition: One is the in your face screamers; the second are the
hang-backers who politely wait their turn for an autograph or photo; third is
someone that pretends they don’t know who you are.”
Relaxing at his humour, Indi fell into easy conversation
their similar interests in music over the tiramisu, Grey had convinced her to
share with him.
Indi’s heart soared at the thought of spending more than one
evening with her idol, but at the same time, her brain tried to insert a wave
of caution at the same time. She wanted to experience more of his company
before venturing into a less public environment with him.
“I would be interested in doing that once I’ve covered this
part of the island first. Maybe we could discuss some places over a dinner in
a few days.”
He nodded in agreement, “Sounds reasonable to me. Do you
want to get some coffee or should I get the bill?”
“No, thanks, I’m ready to leave.”
He attracted the attention of the waiter who quickly brought
their bill over the table. Grey who had been already poised with his exclusive
black Amex card handed it to the waiter.
“Hold on, I want to pay for what I ordered.” Indi
interrupted, handing over her own black Amex. He might be a rich, rock star,
but she wasn’t going to have him think he could buy her dinner just like that.
Grey smirked at her while the waiter looked from her to Grey
and back again in bemusement. “You seriously won’t let me buy you dinner?”
Indi shook her head. In spite of the bubbling chemistry
sparking between them, she wanted to remain out of his debt. She always paid
her own dinner on dates.
Wait a date?
Didn’t he have to ask her out
for it to be classed as a date? I think you might be getting ahead of yourself
if you think a sex god like Grey Bailey is going to want to take you out on a
full-on dinner date, Indi reasoned with herself.
Holding his hands up in mock defeat. “Fine, you heard the
lady – let her pay for her part.” Grey chuckled as he shook his head at Indi.
“You really a refreshing change, Indi.” He added when the
waiter disappeared off to split the bill. “I think you are the first women ever
to refuse anything from me.” His voice was velvety as his eyes licentiously
drank in her features before moving down to her neck and beyond.
Indi swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry from the
powerful hunger exuding from his gaze. She watched his eyes linger on her
exposed cleavage as he licked his lips with his tongue provocatively causing
her nipples to contract and tighten at the gesture.
Was Grey Bailey truly
giving her the come-on? Not in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined that!
Yes, she had realised her neighbour had been flirting, but that was before she
realised who he was.
“It’s a quite a turn-on.” She heard him talk seductively in
the same tones as he used in one of the many music videos of his she had seen.
Blinking, she met his now lifted gaze catching his enigmatic
smile, and she wondered if she had just imagined what he said.
“Shall we head out?” His voice fully in control unlike her
own.
Indi nodded unable to get a simple yes out of her mouth as
she took a few deep, calming breaths wondering if she should offer him a lift
back with her to prolong being in his company. In spite of herself, she felt
strangely safe with him. His voice and song-writing had been such an intricate
piece of her life through her troubled teenage years she felt he was like a
returning friend that could be trusted with her deepest secrets.
“I’ve my car a short walk away; do you need a ride back?”
Indi turned to face him as they entered the street, shutting the door of the
restaurant behind them.
“That would be helpful, thank you.” Grey smiled, pulling out
his phone and tapping at the screen. “If you excuse me a second, I will just
send my security a quick message that I am heading back.”
It only took him a few seconds for the message to be sent
and then they began to walk up Via della Maestranza towards Piazza, it was
still quite busy with other people milling about, so they took the walk at a
leisurely pace. Out of the corner of her eye, Indi noticed Grey sneaking the
occasional sideway glance at her as his hand brushed against hers when the
crowd filled out forcing them closer together as they walked shoulder to
shoulder.
At one point to pass through a bottleneck of people, they
were forced to move into single file. Not wanting to get separated Grey
suggested she go in front of him, all her senses scorchingly aware of his hand
pressing against the small of her back as they edged forward.
Walking this close to her idol, Indi could feel the warmth
spreading through her body and the warm evening air only serving to agitate her
breathing rate. In the midst of the distraction, she managed to stumble over a
loose stone on the cobbled path and twist her ankle over leaving her shoe
behind.
Caught by surprise before she had a chance to worry about
her dignity, Grey’s hands were curved around her body and had lifted her off
the ground. Walking over to a nearby wall that was out of the way of the
milling threads of passing people, he placed her gently on the ground once
more. “Don’t lean on your ankle yet. Balance against the wall while I go
retrieve your shoe.” He instructed as concern etched on his face.
Alone even though Grey remained in her constant eye-line, Indi
couldn’t help but curse at the indignity of the event. He must think her a
totally clumsy fool now. Although, she was fully aware of the concern he had on
his face as he lifted her into his arms, the effect of his hands prints
invisibly seared onto her body forever. Seeing him making his way back to her
with her still intact black patent shoe in his hand she blew out a breath of
relief that at least she wouldn’t need to walk the rest of the way back to the
car with only one shoe.
Arriving back, he placed the other shoe on the floor but
made no move to put it back on her foot. Instead, he moved forward until there
was barely an inch between them. Indi instinctively pressed her back against
the wall noticing for the first time that they were quite alone in a narrow
passageway. Although there were people walking past in the main street some
twenty feet away, they would not notice Grey and her standing there in the dim
darkness unless they turned fully to look down the passageway.
“Are you okay? You gave me a scare.” He said in a tender
tone, leaning in and touching her cheek with the back of his hand before he
swept it down the side of her body, skimming electricity over her ribcage and
hip before he gripped the top of her injured leg. Curving the leg gently
around his muscular thigh Grey took the weight of her body off it as he tilted
his head downwards and buried his head into the curve of her neck, his lips on
her ear lobe, sucking. His other hand was resting on the other side of her
head. Indi could hear his breath coming in shallow pants. “God, Indi. I hope
you aren’t seeing anyone because I can’t keep my hands off you!”