Starstruck (Fusion #1) (2 page)

“So, are you planning to take some tours while you’re
here?” he asked, pointing to the leaflets lying open in front of
her. 

She nodded. “Yes, a couple of them appear interesting.”

“I would recommend Cefalù. There is a museum there with an
extensive collection of art and archaeology; an insightful place about local
culture.  And, of course, seeing the volcano, Etna, is a must.”

The arrival of the waiter to take Xander’s food and drink
order briefly interrupted the conversation.  He decided upon the chief’s special
dish of swordfish with a nutty wine sauce and side vegetables, which Indi had
requested earlier.

“I take it that you’ve been to Sicily in the past?” the
woman asked once the waiter had left.

He nodded. “Yes, I’ve been here at least once a year for the
past five years, and during my childhood.  It’s a place I like to visit
when trying to escape the fast pace of life.” 

Xander was sure the woman would notice the faraway look in
his eyes that he often had when he thought back to happier holidays
here.  As he spoke, he could not help but focus on her mouth. Indi’s
full lips curved upwards naturally. Though she did not appear to smile much,
when she did she displayed two dimples. He wondered what it would be like to
press his own lips against them, tasting her.  

“This is my first time here,” she told him. “The travel
agent highly recommended it 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-nup had been signed, she had developed
an unfortunate habit of appearing whenever Xander went to any promotional
dinners with female executives from the record label, and then embarrassing him
by accusing him of sleeping with them. 

He had to hand it to Caitlin though; she played the role of
jealous psycho girlfriend well, but he wasn’t fooled. The woman had just as
much of an ulterior motive in agreeing to the marriage as his father did in
pushing them together. Xander had the photos to prove it, and he was just
biding his time before playing his trump card when he returned to England.

Returning his attention to his dinner companion, Xander mused
how Caitlin would certainly have something to worry about if she knew the
effect that Indi’s body was having on his own.  When the waiter had first
led him to the table and he discovered his sexy neighbour sitting there, Xander
had been thankful for the light jacket he was carrying.  He’d barely been
able to contain the reaction that sprung from his groin as his eyes lingered on
the low neckline of Indi’s tight, yellow summer dress as it exposed a generous
amount of bronze cleavage.

“You were recommended well,” he told her. “You can spend the
whole of your holiday undisturbed in the villa if you only explore 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,” she replied.

Her tone was flirtatious and Xander raised an eyebrow in
surprise, caught off guard by her sudden playfulness after a 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, he mused to himself.  Xander’s body reacted
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 that
Indi had ordered before Xander joined her table so that their meals arrived at
the same time. They spent the following fifteen minutes eating in
silence.  Xander sought out any opportunity to admire his companion’s body
whenever she was looking down to place her next mouthful of food on her fork,
so she wasn’t aware that he was observing her so blatantly.

His male cravings heightened to a painful level as his gaze
moved over her slender neck, thankfully noting her 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 could not abide the plastic Barbie look that she and many of her
model contemporaries put their bodies through. He also appreciated Indi’s slim
waist, but he felt equally drawn to discovering the hidden depths of her
personality.

Indi

Indi felt a powerful pull toward the handsome stranger
staring at her across the dinner table.  Despite her longing for solitude
ever since arriving 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 would not be adverse to spending time in Xander’s company. He seemed to genuinely
want to seek her out whenever they were on the beach at the same time and from
the looks he’d been giving her over dinner, she presumed he found her
attractive.  The idea of cleansing her mind of her anxieties about strangers
by getting down and dirty with her sexy neighbour could turn out to be the
craziest or sanest thing she’d ever considered doing. 

The sense of familiarity that Indi had been experiencing
since first setting eyes on the man still hadn’t dissipated; in fact, being in
his company had only intensified it. At first it had been disconcerting to be
in the company of a stranger while feeling so at ease with him, but that had
quickly passed. Now she seemed to be sharing an easy flow of effortless
conversation.

With the main course out of the way, Indi decided to find
out more about Xander. So far they had only discussed tourist excursions. Her
curiosity had been steadily 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 asked. As she nursed the rest of her non-alcoholic drink, she
couldn’t resist bantering now that her earlier nerves had subsided enough to
allow a glimmer of her old confidence to shine through.  

A frown creased over Xander’s forehead and he looked puzzled
for a moment. “Oh, you mean my security guys? I did have to negotiate a release
of sorts,” he replied with a chuckle.

“Do you mind if I ask what you do?” Indi knew she was being
nosey, but the buzz from being in this man’s company and having him admire her
so appreciatively made her eager to know more.

Another crease of his forehead was followed by a lingering
hesitancy. “I’m involved in music.”

“Are you famous or something that you need security to keep
the fan girls away?” she asked.

Indi had meant the question as a joke, but as soon as she
said it, everything began to click into place in her head and her mouth nearly
dropped open as realisation hit her.  He was Xander Keats! She darted her
gaze down to her drink so that he wouldn’t guess that she was one such fan
girl. The man wasn’t just involved in music; he
was
music as far as she was concerned.

Clamping her lips shut, Indi tried to keep a calm front
while her thoughts were screaming oh,
my god, oh,
my god, I’m sharing a table with XANDER KEATS!
When she recovered enough
courage to raise her eyes to meet his gaze again, he was looking at her
inquisitively with a self-assured smile playing on his lips.

“You recognise me, don’t you?”

Indi smiled coyly. “Was I that obvious?”

A blush rose over her cheeks as she realised just how
unsuccessful she’d been at hiding her reaction.
Had he
been able to read all her reactions to him so easy – her racing heart when she
first saw him standing beside the table or the tingling nerves that swept over
her body when he touched her hand?
How embarrassing that would be, she
thought.

“It comes with the territory,” Xander replied. “It seems
there are three types of recognition. One is the in-your-face screamer. The
second is the hang-backer who politely waits their turn for an autograph or
photo. And the third is someone who pretends they don’t know who you are at
all.”

Indi relaxed at the man’s easy manner and they fell into the
same free-flowing conversation as before. This time it involved music in
between spoonfuls of the tiramisu that Xander had convinced her to share with
him.

“So now
you know I’m not some strange guy from next door, but a rock star with a
reputation to upkeep, can I convince you to accept my offer to show you some of
the lesser discovered delights of Sicily?” he asked, his eyes gleaming with humour.

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.  She decided to experience more of Xander’s 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,” she replied. “Maybe we could discuss some
places over dinner in a few days.”

Xander 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 promptly
returned with the bill.  In exchange, Xander, who had been poised with his
black Amex card, handed it over.

“Hold on, I want to pay for what I ordered myself,” Indi
interrupted, handing over her own black Amex. He might be a rich rock star, but
she was not going to let him think he could buy her dinner just like that.

Xander smirked while the waiter glanced between them in
bemusement. “You seriously won’t let me buy you dinner?” he asked.

Indi shook her head. Despite the bubbling chemistry between
them, she wanted to remain out of his debt, and she always paid for her own
dinner on dates.
Wait! A date?
Wouldn’t he have
had to ask her out first for this to be classed as a date?
You’re
getting ahead of yourself if you think a sex god like Xander Keats is going to
want to take you out on a full-on dinner date, Indi inwardly chastised herself.

Holding his hands up in mock defeat, he replied, “Fine, you
heard the lady, let her pay for her part.” Xander chuckled again as he shook
his head. “You’re really a refreshing change, Indi,” he added when the waiter
walked off to split the bill. “I think you’re the first woman to ever refuse
anything from me.”

His voice sounded velvety as his eyes licentiously drank in
her features before moving down to her neck and beyond. Indi swallowed
hard, her throat suddenly dry due to the powerful hunger exuding from the man’s
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 Xander Keats truly giving her the
come-on? Not in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined that!

“It’s a quite a turn-on,” Indi heard him add, in the same
seductive tone as he’d used in one of his many music videos that she’d seen. Blinking,
she met his now-lifted gaze. Catching his enigmatic smile, she wondered if she
had imagined what he just said.

“Shall we head out?” Xander asked with his voice fully in
control, unlike her own.

Indi nodded, unable to get a simple yes out of her mouth.
Taking a few deep, calming breaths, she wondered whether to offer him a lift
back with her, just to prolong being in his company. Despite herself, she felt
strangely safe with him. His voice and the lyrics of his songs had been such an
intricate piece of her life throughout her troubled teenage years. It made her
feel that he was a returning friend who could be trusted with her deepest
secrets.

Indi turned to face Xander as they entered the street and
the door of the restaurant closed behind them. “My car is a short walk away. Do
you need a ride back?” 

He smiled. “That would be helpful, thank you.” Pulling out
his phone, he tapped at the screen before adding, “If you’ll excuse me for a
second, I’ll just send my security a quick message to let them know I’m heading
back.”

It only took a few seconds for the message to be sent and
then the two of them began to walk up Via della Maestranza towards the Piazza.
It was still quite busy with people milling about, so they took the walk at a
leisurely pace.

Out of the corner of her eye, Indi noticed Xander sneaking
the occasional sideways glance at her as his hand brushed against hers whenever
the crowd filled out, forcing them closer together as they walked shoulder to
shoulder. At one point, in order to pass through a bottleneck of people
congregated outside a bar, they were forced to move in single file. Not wanting
to get separated from Indi, Xander suggested she walk in front of him. As she
moved ahead, all her senses went into overload as she became copiously aware of
his hand pressing against the small of her bare back as they edged
forward. 

Being so close to her idol, Indi felt a warm sensation
spread through her body, and the humid evening air only served to increase her
breathing rate further. In the midst of the distraction, she managed to stumble
over a loose stone on the cobbled path and twist her ankle, leaving one of her
shoes in her wake.

Caught by surprise, Xander’s hands curved around Indi’s body
and lifted her up off the ground before she had a chance to worry about her
dignity. Walking over to a nearby wall that was well away from the milling
crowd, 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
with concern etched on his face.

Alone, even though Xander remained in her constant eye line,
Indi cursed the indignity of the situation, assuming that he must think her a
clumsy fool. She thought she would die from embarrassment when he lifted her up
in his arms; the effect of his handprints would be invisibly seared on her body
forever.  Seeing him make his way back with her still-intact black patent
in hand, she exhaled a breath of relief that at least she wouldn’t have to walk
the rest of the way back to the car wearing only one shoe.

Xander placed the shoe on the ground, but did not attempt 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 the narrow
passageway. Although there were people walking past in the main street some
twenty feet away, they would not notice the couple standing there in the dim
darkness unless they turned fully to look.

“Are you okay? You gave me a scare,” Xander asked in a
tender tone.

Leaning in, he touched Indi’s cheek with the back of his
hand and then swept it down the side of her body, skimming electricity over her
ribcage and hip, before gripping the top of her injured leg and curving it
gently around his muscular thigh. Xander then removed 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 moved to her ear lobe, sucking while his other hand rested
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!”

Letting out a loud exhalation of air, she closed her eyes
and immersed herself in the pleasure of the man’s tongue and lips teasing her
ear lobe sensually.
Was this actually happening
,
she wondered, feeling dazed by the evening’s events. 

When Xander suddenly stopped, Indi opened her eyes to find
his face on a level with her own. Moving the hand that had been resting beside
her head, his fingertips traced the outline of her mouth. All the while his
silver-blue eyes watched her closely, as if mesmerised by the low whimpering
she was occasionally emitting as he ground his hardening erection against her
hotly.  “Tell me you want this as much as I do,” he said with desperation
rippling through his voice.

“Yes, yes,” she answered as his mouth finally descended
roughly on hers.

Xander’s hands moved up her thighs to grip the underside of
her buttocks and shift her weight evenly between the wall that her back was
pressed against and his flexed arm muscles. The friction of his hardness
pressing against the thin material of the G-string covering her intimate folds
increased the desire that pooled between her legs.

Sweeping his tongue around her mouth in animalistic fashion,
Xander pulled away suddenly. “I should get you home,” he said softly with a
frown on his face.

Indi immediately mourned the loss of his touch, but
tolerated it as she did not want to be holed up in an Italian prison for public
indecency, even if Xander’s kisses were intoxicating. “Okay,” she answered,
trying to hide the disappointed bite from her voice as she spoke.

Xander knelt down and felt her ankle gently with the tips of
his fingers. “Does that hurt?”

Indi shook her head. “Not at all.”

“Okay, let’s see if it can take some weight,” he suggested,
and reaching for her shoe, he sheathed her bare foot into it. Standing up,
Xander held out his hand to Indi in case she felt her ankle give way again as
he watched her place her foot tentatively on the ground. “Think you can walk?”

“Yes, it feels okay now,” Indi reassured as she paced slowly
in front of him.

“Sure? I’ll carry you to the car if necessary.”

Although an excuse to be in his arms again appealed
enormously, Indi wanted to retain some remnant of dignity that evening, so she
nodded.  “Honestly, I’m sure.”

Brushing any lingering dust from the knees of his trousers,
Xander wrapped an arm around Indi’s waist and pulled her into his side, so that
she could use him as a leaning post as they walked.
When they finally arrived back at Largo Porta Marina,
she pointed out the car that she had rented for the next couple of weeks; an
Audi.  It had been more expensive than some of the more basic rentals on
offer, but she drove the same model back in England and didn’t want to
sacrifice on comfort if she was going to be driving around the island by
herself.