Page 42 of Reckless Intentions
Chapter Twenty-One
The scorching heat was nothing compared to the burning in Brody’s heart. All it had taken was one week with the right person and he’d done a complete U-turn on his stance on relationships. He’d fallen hard and fast. Now, he regretted it. Letting someone get properly close to him had been a mistake. She’d lied to him, and now he felt like a prick.
When he’d got back to Mallorca, he’d contacted Carlos and told him he was taking a few days off. The Roca Bar was pretty much ready, excluding a few finishing touches that could wait until opening night. Until then, he wanted to keep away from the place, there were too many reminders of Olivia.
Brody was stretched out on a sun lounger under one of the parasols on the beach in Puerto Pollensa. Getting away from Alcudia gave him the opportunity to think, without the constant reminders of what could have been.
He knew that he’d have to see Olivia when the bar reopened. Caro had already stated that she wanted him to be a part of that night. Then there was The Indigo Lounge work. He would try to engineer it so there was a team in place and he only had to be there infrequently to oversee the progress. Then he wouldn’t have to see her when he was in North Ridge.
From behind his sunglasses, he eyeballed the people on the beach. There were plenty of tourists he could befriend, then bed, if they were up for it. But his heart wasn’t in it. There wasn’t any thrill of the chase. The thought of quick and dirty one or two nighters made him feel sick and, most importantly, none of them could touch Olivia’s beauty.
He sighed and reached for his phone and headphones to drown out the world.
As he did so, a hand closed over his. Brody looked up, momentarily blinded by the sun and unable to see the person who loomed over him.
“Long time, no see.”
Instantly, he recognised the voice and ripped off his shades. “What are you doing here?”
“I have ten days before I get married. I thought I might take advantage and get a deeper tan before the big day. It will make the contrast between my dress and my skin stand out even more.”
Valentina.
She bent down and kissed him on both cheeks, the subtle scent of her perfume lingering as she drew back. “I am having a girlie day with my friends.” Valentina waved at a group of women who were gathered under another umbrella with tapas and Prosecco. “We came here in case I happened to see a handsome man who took my fancy for a final fling.” Her mouth curved up into a smile, her eyes twinkling.
“Then why don’t you join me for a while?” Brody pulled up a second sun lounger.
Valentina nodded, then went over to her friends and brought them back a bottle and two glasses.
Everything about the situation was dangerous. It was close to Valentina’s wedding. Brody was on a destructive streak. There was only one way it could end. Badly.
She poured him a glass and he sank it in one, holding out for a refill.
They sat in silence for a while, both staring out to sea. Hiding behind their dark glasses and watching families playing and serious swimmers eating up the waves neither of them spoke.
“You seem different.” It was Valentina that broke it.
“What do you mean?” he asked, without looking at her.
She drew in a deep breath. “Sad. Lost, maybe? I’ve never seen you like that before. You’ve always been brash, and, how do you say? Full of yourself?”
His mouth quirked. That sounded more like him when he was his usual self. But the last week with Olivia had shaken him and had him questioning what he really wanted. He squinted in Valentina’s direction. “Can I be honest with you?”
Her eyebrows shot up. In the time they’d seen each other, they had never really talked, at least not openly, about their feelings. It had simply been a physical relationship that suited both at the time. “Of course.”
Brody sat up and faced Valentina. He took her hand in his, and she mirrored him. “I’ve never felt like this about anyone before.”
A look of horror crossed her pretty features. “Brody, I’m marrying Matteo! What we had was fun, but I never intended anything serious to come from it. I thought you knew that.”
He laughed. “Then you’ll be pleased to hear that I don’t mean you. There was another woman here recently, Olivia? We had the most amazing week together.”
“Ah, one of your holiday romances that you take so much pleasure from.”
“It was more than that.” Brody released Valentina’s hand, and rested his elbows on his knees, propping his chin on his fists. “There was a connection somehow. Something that I’ve never felt in so short a time with someone before.”
Valentina gave him a knowing nod. “I think I know who you mean. A very pretty lady, with long black hair and blue eyes. I remember seeing her at the bar.”
The first time Brody laid eyes on Olivia came back to him. He’d been pretty engrossed with Valentina at the time. How had it only been a couple of weeks ago? It felt like longer, not in a bad way though.
