No Strings Attached

Chapter One

But then he’d taken it back. When the only thing that means anything to you becomes a lie, how do you pick yourself back up again? How on earth could he have expected her to?

Despite everything, he must have known when he was saying those words that he was destroying her.

She growled in frustration, her fist coming down heavily onto the cold, white metal as she closed the boot.

Until she realised this was her brand new baby, and quickly slid her hand across the hypothetical dint she could have made in the bodywork had she been that little bit stronger.

“Miss Claxon?”

The young, male voice pulled her from her soothing ministrations to the new car with a start – she’d sort of forgotten there was anyone else on the planet.

“Uh ... yeah, hey!”

“Can I help you with your luggage Miss?”

Luggage? It was a bag – just one holdall in psychedelic leopard print, “I should be okay,” she said slowly, “But thanks for the offer, though.”

A sheepish smile spread over his young face – the aquamarine blue eyes twinkling nervously before looking down at his shuffling shoes against the gravel, “No problem,” he muttered, “I’m actually ... I’m a big fan of yours Miss ...”

“Shannon, please,” she winced, “And thank you ...”

“Daniel.” He smiled shyly - he couldn’t be more than fifteen – his face still carrying that hint of childhood around the eyes and mouth, his pale blonde hair spiking up at awkward angles. “So ... what has you punching your car?”

“Men,” she answered, probably a little cold, “Don’t ever turn into a prick, Daniel.”

He chuckled softly, each beat in the rhythm belying his age, “I’ll certainly try not to!”

“Good to hear,” she smiled, “I’d best go and check in ...”

“Can I ... uh I mean can I get your autograph first ... ?”

“Got a pen?”

 She scrawled across a napkin that he pulled from his pocket – apparently that was all he had on him at that moment, and strolled through the glass doors into the foyer to check in.

Shannon literally threw herself onto the bed once she arrived at the hotel suite.

Her agent did well, she mused – everything about it was designed to create a tranquil, relaxing space that was quite at odds with the chaos underneath the window, or even the couture designer impression that the building itself emitted.

The whisper of pale blue in the walls was a perfect backdrop for the grand four poster bed in the centre, and the flecks of luxury in the gilded gold vintage furniture.