He must have felt the racing of her heart, and she caught the catch in his breath as his fingers skimmed her breast. She waited, watching him staring at his hand lying possessively on her chest. Slowly he raised it, her hand over his, until it was at her cheek, and he touched his forehead to hers.
‘I wanted you to hear me, because I wrote it for you,’ he muttered. ‘Writing music is the only way I know how to fully express myself.’
‘Raf, I… That’s so amazing, thank you.’ His hand fell away and hers with it, and she was relieved and sorry all at once. She still needed to take this slow.
‘My pleasure. Let me make you some breakfast.’
‘No way.’ She placed a hand on his chest, her fingers brushing the tattoo revealed by his half-open shirt, and his eyes darkened a second time. She hadn’t planned to swim naked and have him catch her soaking wet, but now that she had, it was as though she’d stripped away another layer of doubt. ‘It’s my turn. You can watch me work for a change.’
They spent the rest of the morning reading beside the pool, swimming and talking. For Cassie there was sleep too. A lightness seemed to have entered her mind, and whenever she woke, it was to see Raf nearby, insisting she needed the rest. Although she checked her phone regularly for news of Isla and Rory, a weight had been lifted and she felt lighter than she had in years, the ease transferring itself to her body made languid by heat and Raf’s presence.
After a lazy lunch he sat on the terrace with his guitar, picking out chords or scribbling on a pad. She wanted to wind her arms around him and let him know how much his openness meant, but she held back, waiting,needingto be certain. His gaze told her everything written on his heart, and later he held her hand as she read. The connection felt both easy and profoundly moving. Slowly, gradually, she was moving into a new space in her life, and it was Raf she wanted beside her. She’d abandoned the navy swimsuit and changed into her tropical-print bikini instead, and one heated stare was enough to let her know he had noticed.
In the evening Cassie cooked a simple dinner they ate on the terrace with hunks of crusty bread he’d bought from the market, and she was sleepy again after a glass of wine. They called Isla and Rory in Italy, who were full of excitement about their plans, including a trek into the mountains and a pizza workshop. Then Raf suggested a movie from his list, which they watched indoors, curled up on the sofa, close without actually touching. They parted in the kitchen after he brushed her cheek with his lips, and she’d gone to bed smiling and alight with anticipation.
The next morning she was ready to leave at eight, their agreed time to head down the hill to the market. The sun was already high, and she laughingly told him she would be leaping into the pool to cool off the moment they returned. They had only three more nights before their trip would be over, and she tried to cling onto every moment, hold it close to her heart.
The small town was already busy when they eventually reached it, strolling along a narrow cobbled street which opened onto a central square, dominated by the church and its tall bell tower. Painted doors and balconies stuffed with plants made a colourful splash against dark railings, the height of the buildings helping to block out the sun, if not the heat. They followed tram tracks carved into the ground, which Raf told her ran from the town to the harbour. Buildings lined every side of the square, some set behind hedges and more railings, mountains rising behind them. Stalls were crammed into every scrap of space, shaded by white canopies, and Cassie shot him a smile, itching to explore. Tables lined the pavements outside cafes, already half full as people hurried past with laden bags bumping at their sides.
‘You didn’t tell me there was so much here!’ She was glad she’d brought a large bag, although lugging it home up that hill wouldn’t be much fun. ‘How long have we got?’
‘As long as you want.’ He paused beside a stall hung with preserved meats, chunky red rings of chorizo suspended in the shade. He spoke rapidly and soon the stallholder was wrapping a couple and handing them over.
‘I’d forgotten how well you speak Spanish,’ Cassie said wistfully as they resumed their walk. Languages had never been her strong point. ‘You sounded like a local.’ She also hadn’t missed how easily he attracted attention as surprised glances and a few double takes came his way. Was it his height and looks attracting interest, his fame, or was he simply known to some of these people after years of holidaying on this hillside?
Orange trees jammed in wide planters stood on the pavements outside the cafes, parasols open wide to offer shade. Fashion, food, plants, local arts and crafts; all were here, and she wandered from stall to stall, appreciating having the time to explore without two teenagers grumbling at her shoulder. She bought a sunhat and put it on immediately, pausing to let Raf adjust it. His hands skimmed her shoulders before he caught her hand and tugged her closer still, dropping a kiss on her cheek. At a stall selling dresses, she pulled one and then another out for a closer look, holding them against her body.
‘What do you think?’ She felt a little self-conscious, asking for his opinion. Even though she couldn’t see his eyes behind the aviators, she had the sense they’d narrowed to observe her.
‘The truth?’
‘Of course.’ She laughed. ‘I can take it.’
‘I’m not sure the green would suit you, but the other one is perfect.’
A soft cream cotton with narrow straps across the shoulders, the dress was emblazoned with deep blush roses and splashes of pale green leaves. It fell almost to her ankles and fastened across the left hip, the skirt a wide swirl that fanned out as she twirled. It was a holiday dress, the sort she didn’t often get to wear. But here, in the sunshine of a bustling market lively with tourists and locals jostling amongst the stalls, Cassie felt loosened from her life at home.
‘So shall I buy it?’
‘Definitely. I think it will look great on you.’
‘Maybe later.’ She slid the dress back on the rail with an apologetic smile at the stallholder. ‘I don’t suppose I’d wear it much at home.’
After that their hands found their way to each other, fingers entwined, and occasionally she tugged him over to a stall to examine something. Raf readjusted her hat when he dislodged it and pulled her into his side, as though they really were lovers and this day had been made just for them.
They lingered over coffee and breakfast at a pavement cafe, watching the world strolling by, and bought enough food to last until they left on Saturday. Walking back up the hill was much harder, even with a light breeze, and Cassie was glad to return and put everything away. In the mirror in her room, she noticed a suntan already developing. The face staring back looked more at ease, her skin smooth and clear, eyes glittering with something she recognised as desire. She changed into her bikini with the kaftan over the top and wandered out to the pool. He was on the terrace and her skin burned yet more as he watched her approach.
‘I’m off to see a neighbour up the mountain, the one who produces the olive oil. Pippa wants me to bring some back. I was going to do it tomorrow, but he’s messaged to say he won’t be around. You want to come with me?’
‘Do you mind if I don’t?’ Cassie raised her book. ‘I’m feeling very lazy after that walk, and I don’t think I’m ready to face another hill just yet. I thought I’d read and swim.’
‘Sure, you go ahead.’ Raf got up from the sofa and collected his phone. ‘I’ll only be an hour or so.’
The villa felt empty when he’d left, as though it had lost some of its energy without his presence. After a swim, she oiled herself and lay on her front to top up the suntan, chin folded on her hands. It wasn’t long before she felt sleepy again, and she woke to the touch of his hand gentle on her shoulder.
‘How long have you been out here?’
‘I’m not sure,’ she muttered. She raised her head, blinking, the sun bright behind him as he settled on the edge of her lounger, utterly aware of his proximity as he pushed sunglasses into his hair. ‘Since you left. I swam and had a shower, then lay down here.’
