Nico had been the most silent of the group so far, which only solidified the truth that the handsome stranger had mentioned earlier. He’d lied to Donovan the entire time. He didn’t have any connections to the club aside from his dad, who managed the staff. The lie had caught up with him, and it suddenly made sense why they wanted to leave for a walk so badly.
Violet watched as the handsome stranger wrote down a number at the bottom of his bill. It looked to her as though he’d written into the hundreds. She averted her eyes, not really wanting to know. Just because someone was rich didn’t mean that they were a good person or suddenly someone who became attractive. She’d met too many people who thought the world owed them something simply because they were wealthy.
“Shall we go now?” he asked, and brought his eyes to Nico, who was trying to appear aloof. “Where did you intend on walking?”
Donovan shrugged and opened the door, letting in the loud techno music playing in the club. “Nico said there was this really nice peak towards the edge of town. He’s going to grab us some beers for the walk, too.”
Violet smiled at the stranger, glad she had someone to spend time with. She instantly became invisible anytime she was stuck as the third wheel. This time, because of a stranger, it would be different. She felt her face flush red and she wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the stranger - chances are, it was both.
The sound of her low heels clacked against the cobblestone streets. The Aegean Sea rippled against the shoreline, echoing into the quiet night. In the distance, she could hear the sound of gulls and see their white figures in the moonlight as they swept through the sky. Nico and Donovan walked up ahead, their arms linked together as they led the way.
The beer was cold against her hand as she brought her eyes to the handsome stranger next to her. She had to look up at him to get a good look at his face, which was illuminated each time they passed one of the old streetlights. It was hard to believe that someone so perfect looking was interested in her. She took a sip of her beer and let the cool taste wash over her tongue. She could feel the fabric of her dress wafting like smoke around her legs with each step. So far, it had been a surprising, yet awesome night.
“Are you cold?”
She lowered her eyes, realizing she’d been staring at him. “No, I’m fine, actually. Are you?”
Stupid question. Why would he ask her if she was cold if he was? She winced the moment the words left her lips. She felt a giddiness in her chest and knew that the alcohol was starting to hit. About time.
“No,” he said, and laughed. “The wind can get pretty strong, so I just thought I’d ask. That dress doesn’t look like it’s meant to keep anyone warm.”
“It’s actually Donovan’s dress. She let me borrow it for the night.”
“Well, it looks as though it was made for you.”
She blushed at his compliment, wanting to do a twirl right there in the middle of the street. “Thank you.”
“We should get back to the room soon,” Donovan said, turning towards Violet. “I want to do a few things before we leave the island tomorrow.”
Violet inhaled sharply. She knew that the night would have to end at some point, but she didn’t want it to end. It had been so long since someone had made her heart skip a beat. Meeting him felt almost serendipitous.
“What time were you thinking?”
“Soon, definitely,” Donovan said, and continued walking ahead with Nico. “Our place is close to here, so we shouldn’t be long now.”
“You can leave, if you want,” Violet whispered, stepping closer to the stranger. “I had a really good evening, though. Thank you.”
“Are you going to tell me your name before I leave?”
He stopped walking and turned to her, waiting for her answer. Violet could smell the sea from where she stood and could hear the waves crashing along the shore. The air was heavy and warm with humidity as a breeze passed between them.
“I think I’m going to keep it a secret. It’s more fun that way.”
He met her eyes and stepped closer. “Well, I guess this will be goodbye, then.”
Her hands went limp at her sides, and her heart fluttered in her chest. She wished he hadn’t said that word. She didn’t want there to be a goodbye, not when they were having such a magical evening. He stepped so close to her that she could smell his cologne and feel the fabric of his dress shirt against her chest.
The butterflies in her stomach made her feel as though she was flying the moment he lowered his lips to hers. A fire started in her and felt as though it would burn her straight to the ground. She dropped her beer can and brought her arms around his shoulders, bringing him even closer as she deepened the kiss.
He was warm, and she could feel his muscles tensing around her as his hands gently grazed her hair. He let go of her hair and pulled away, giving her a soft smile. “It’s been really nice, stranger.”
She nodded lightly, still feeling the warmth of his lips against hers. “It has. I had a great time.”
He faced towards the front, where Donovan and Nic were still walking up ahead. “I’ll leave you to them for tonight, then. Enjoy the rest of your stay in Greece.”
“You too.”
He turned around as though they hadn’t just kissed. The only thing she could do was wave at him as he started to walk away. Nearly five hours had passed since they’d first met, but it felt as though it had only been a few seconds. She wanted desperately to run after him and get his name, get his phone number, where he worked - something to hold onto and know that she’d have the opportunity to see him again.
Still, she knew that they were just two strangers passing each other by, like birds soaring through the sky on their way to their own destinations. It was just a chance meeting that ended like so many other things began - with one of them walking away.
Chapter Four
Violet
She stretched her arms up into the air and cracked her neck. The sun entered the room through the window on her right, filling it with the warmth of the California summer. Violet brushed the sleep from her eyes and swung her legs off the bed, feeling the cold hardwood floor against her feet. Her body was stiff from being hunched over her desk for eight hours the previous day in the hopes of finishing her most recent commissions.
There was a solitude to living alone that she’d gotten used to since she’d moved from Northern California to Malibu. She never had to worry about cleaning her dishes or getting dressed for the day. She’d lived away from her parents for over two years, and there wasn’t a morning that she didn’t relish. The silence was always welcome and allowed for her to use her imagination to draw worlds that brought in more clients.
She lifted her long blond hair into a loose bun on the top of her head and left the bedroom, making her way down the hallway and passed the living room. The house was cozy and overlooked the massive yard that belonged to Donovan’s parents. As long as she paid her rent on time, they let her live there without any hassle. If she ever felt lonely, she could always go to the main house and visit Donovan. Donovan had helped Violet build a life in Malibu without having to rely on her own parents for money. California, after all, wasn’t cheap.
Her kitchen was small and quaint. White cupboards, stainless steel appliances, a round kitchen nook with windows overlooking the greenery outside. The house was small with only two bedrooms and a loft. The other bedroom was hardly ever used, but she kept an extra bed in there in case anyone ever visited. Unfortunately, not even her parents had travelled to visit her. Most people enjoyed staying in the main house, which had ten bedrooms with an ensuite bathroom attached to each.