ESPRESSO / CHAPTER I

casa amor

Sienna's wedges thumped against the boardwalk leading up to the main villa.

The noise resembled somewhat of a funeral march. Love Island wasn't ready for a weapon like her, but it never would be, so there was no time like the present to enter as one of the Casa Amor girls.

A symphony of wildlife sounds mingled with the hazy Spanish sun, filling the air with a pulsating rhythm. All was quiet in the villa, but not for long.

Waiting on the bar in front of them was a shiny bucket, filled to the brim with ice cubes, which were cooling a bottle of champagne. Beside stood seven flutes, glinting and glowing.

''Cheers!''

Once Diamanté had popped open the bottle, they all clinked their glasses together, before making their way over to the sun deck. It was a large structure sat on a raised platform, complete with cream cushioning and orange pillows.

''This is so surreal,'' Ellie gushed, crossing one long leg over the other. ''So, who's everyone got their eye on, then? Let's get into the tea.''

Lucy brushed the blonde hair out of her face, squinting at the sunny sky. ''It'd be Ciaran, Wil, and Konnor that I've got my eye on.''

''What do you think about the Ciaran and Nicole situation?'' Ruby asked, batting her eyeliner-rimmed eyes. ''Are you not bothered?''

''I just think they've been bickering far too much. It's too soon to be doing all that, and they're acting like a married couple. I don't know, but maybe Nicole is more into Ciaran than he is into her.''

The girls hummed in agreement. Sienna spoke up for the first time since they'd got there, in an attempt to calm her nerves and loosen the knot in her stomach. Walking into what was practically a free holiday should've seemed easy enough, but being on air for the brutal British public to scrutinize your every move? Yeah, that's what she was worried about.

''Time will tell,'' she shrugged, smirking. ''If you're right, then it won't take much to turn his head. By the sounds of everything, it could be difficult, but a well-fed man doesn't go looking for food elsewhere, and if he does, I don't mind being the one to satisfy his hunger.''

Jessica nodded her head enthusiastically. ''Yeah, he's gonna switch up, definitely.''

''I feel sorry for her after meeting you two,'' Emma giggled, adjusting her black bikini.

Sienna and Lucy smiled at each other, shaking hands. ''Well, may the best woman win.''

''What about you, Diamanté?''

The girl inhaled sharply, surveying her fellow Islanders with a sinister sparkle in her eyes. ''D'you know what? I've got my eye on Wil.''

''For me, it's Ayo,'' Jessica added.

''I'd rather go for it and not regret it, than be like ❛I played the safe option❜,'' Ruby admitted.

''Oh, one hundred percent,'' Sienna agreed, playing with the designer bangles on her wrist. ''We have to get our graft on, girls — it's now or never.''

Emma shook her head, glaring daggers across the lawn and in the direction of the doors that lead to the bedroom. She handed her drink over to Ellie, standing up with a sense of finality.

''Right, they're taking too long, so I'm gonna go and wake them up. See you in a minute!''

She walked off, leaving the six of them to their own devices. Sienna held a hand up to shield her eyes from the sun as they chatted, having been told by the producers that they're not allowed to wear sunglasses just yet.

''I'm so excited.''

''Same.''

''I actually can't wait to see their faces.''

Emma returned shortly, sporting a satisfied smile on her face. ''Girls, they have lost their minds!''

Cheering ensued as they restlessly waited for the boys. Sienna wanted to get the introductions over and done with, so that she could have a better idea at who would be her number one target. She'd chat to all of them, of course, but she refused to get sent home in a matter of days for putting her eggs in all their baskets at the same time.

''Come on, boys!''

''I'm waiting . . . ''

''Oh my gosh, my heart's beating so fast.''

Eventually, the boys came out cheering, with Joey leading the group across the lawn. Behind him were Trey and Will, jostling each other like predators about to hunt their pray. Konnor, Ayo and Sean followed, all three of them looking like Christmas had come early. Lastly, Ciaran trailed behind them all, swinging his water bottle without a care in the world.

''Hello!''

''Hi!''

Sienna strutted over, flinging her ashy blonde hair over her shoulder. She had no choice but to greet Joey first, who was practically skipping over like a hyperactive puppy.

''I'm Joey, lovely to meet you.''

''Sienna, likewise.''

''Oh, fuck, they're all fit as fuck,'' Wil whispered, his eyes hungrily raking over every inch of the girls in front of him.

She exchanged pleasantries with the rest of the boys before her dark hazel eyes settled on Ciaran. He was the only one who hadn't jumped at the chance to hug and kiss her on the cheek, which should've deterred Sienna, but it just made him stand out more.

''I don't bite, y'know,'' she joked, sliding closer to the Welsh boy. ''Not unless you'd like me to, anyway.''

He choked on his words, blankly blinking at the shorter girl, completely dumbfound.

''Cat got your younge? I'm Sienna, nice to meet you. You all right?''

''Ciaran,'' he finally managed, his voice slightly hoarse. ''I'm good, how are you?''

''Better, now that you've actually spoken to me and are no longer acting as though I've murdered your family.''

He fought back a smile at the sarcastic comment. ''You've got a twisted humour, has anyone ever told you that?''

''Not as often as they tell me I'm beautiful, which you haven't. Yet.''

Ciaran opened his mouth to reply as Joey, ever the cock-block, barged past and weaved himself through the small crowd. Sienna presumed that as a suspected producer plant, one of his duties included taking attendance of everyone in the villa.

''Who needs a drink? Have you got a drink?''

''Yeah, let's get some drinks.''

''I think we need some, right?''

''Right, everyone . . . '' Joey began, popping the cork of a new champagne bottle much less gracefully than the girls had. ''Feel like I could've knocked someone out. Oops.''

Jessica shouted over the girls screams, holding her glass out for some more alcohol. ''Are youse gonna do, like, a welcome speech for us?''

''I feel like Ayo should do this one.''

''Yeah, let Ayo do this one!''

The freakishly tall boy raised his glass in the air, glancing over at the caramel-skinned girl, who's presence had already made an impression. ''Cheers to new sexy girls on arrival—''

''Whoo!''

''—and, yeah, having a great time in Casa.''

Even more cheers could be heard as the number of people had almost doubled. The atmosphere was bubbling with infectious laughter and inevitable trouble as they all walked over to the fire pit, eager to start getting to know each other.

''How are we all feeling, girls?''

''Excited.''

''Yeah? Nice. Ready to get your graft on?''

''As ready as we'll ever be,'' Sienna sing-songed. ''Right, Ruby, d'you wanna go first?''

The brunette nodded, shuffling forward in her seat. ''I'm Ruby, I'm twenty-three, and I'm a content creator.''

''Okay, nice.''

''Like, Instagram. All the fashion stuff, y'know.''

''Got ya.''

''What were you thinking?'' Lucy wondered, giggling into her glass. ''OnlyFans or something?''

''No! No! No!'' She shouted, burying her head in her hands. ''No OnlyFans!''

Everyone burst into ripples of laughter, clutching at their stomachs and balancing their drinks.

''Ayo getting excited already!'' Joey howled.

''I'm Emma, I'm thirty, and I do the same job as Ruby.''

''Not porn,'' Sienna clarified, still stuck on the joke. ''Just so we're clear, guys.''

''I'm Ellie, I'm twenty-two, and I'm a senior executive assistant.''

''Wow.''

''I'm Lucy, I'm twenty-six, and I'm a store manager.''

''Nice.''

''I'm Diamanté, I'm twenty-one, and I'm a business owner.''

''What's the business?'' Sean asked.

''I do e-commerce. So, it's basically like natural body-enhancement products.''

''Nice.''

''Yeah, it's quite exciting.''

''I'm Jess, I'm twenty-five, and I'm a fashion stylist.''

''Oh, is it?''

''I'm Sienna, I'm nineteen, and I'm in real estate.''

''Nineteen? Wow!'' Joey gasped as Konnor patted Ciaran on the shoulder. ''Looks like we've got a new baby of the group.''

''And she's here to stay. So, who's closed off? That's the main question here. Like, raise your hand if you are closed off.''

Ciaran was the only one to put his hand in the air. Another sign for Sienna to not get her hopes up, which she pointedly ignored.

''Just the one hand?'' Emma remarked. ''Interesting.''

''That's perfectly fine,'' Sienna started. ''I've never been one to say no to a challenge.''

''So, will you be sleeping on the daybeds, then?'' Jessica inquired.

''We're all grown-ups here,'' the Welsh boy shrugged, denying Sienna the satisfaction of dropping his gaze in the subtle staring competition they were having. ''I can sleep in a bed.''

''Right. What's everyone's situation in here, then?''

''Obviously, I walked in as a Bombshell,'' Trey began. ''Got to know Jess really well. She's a great girl, but, y'know, we're both still open.''

''Joey?''

''Me? Erm— what's my situation?''

''Yeah. Jessy or Grace?''

''Oh, no, the whole Grace situation, that's—that's—that's finished.''

The girls gasped, glancing around at each other in disbelief. If one thing in that villa was for certain, it was that those two were obsessed with each other.

''Really?''

''Yeah. I have re-coupled, I got chosen the other night by Jessy, but, y'know her options are open. My options are open . . . ''

''For three weeks, sort of just been situationships and friendships,'' Sean started. ''A few triangles, here and there—''

''All the shapes under the sun.''

''—then, obviously, Matilda walked through the doors and we hit it off straight away. But, it's still early days, so I'm open to get to know you lovely ladies.''

''I've been chatting to Mimii, and everything's just headed in the right direction in my situation, so . . . '' Ayo trailed off, locking eyes with Jessica.''

''So, closed off?''

''No, I'm still open.''

''I came in as a Bombshell and had an instant connection with Uma,'' Wil explained. ''Things have gone really well, y'know? We've got really close. I'm gonna be really honest with everyone and say I'm coming in here with an open mind, so . . . yeah, I'm not closing anything off.''

''Hopefully that clarifies it all for you.''

''Yeah, I think we're all clear, to be honest.''

Sienna ripped her gaze from Ciaran's as all the girls stood up and made their way over to the daybeds to debrief. She almost forgot how to walk, teetering in her wedges, as she felt his stare piercing the back of her head.

''Girls, it's day one,'' Emma encouraged. ''We are gonna have to explore every option, which I'm sure we will.''

''I'm telling you now, Ayo's head is turning,'' Ellie promised. ''I'm telling you now!''

''Him and Wil, when they first came out, they were really excited.''

''They were, weren't they? Grabbing each other up and everything?''

''Like animals,'' Sienna laughed. ''Then again, it is us, girls. They'd be stupid not too.''

Ellie fiddled with her hair, her eyes trained on the boys, talking in hushed whispers at the mini fire pit. ''I find it funny how Ciaran slept on the daybed when him and Nicole had an argument, yet he won't sleep on the daybed with a new girl when a new girl comes in, so there's obviously a chat to be had.''

''Agreed,'' Sienna hummed. ''I wanna, like, see how far I can push him until he breaks. Wait— that sounds bad.''

''We know what you mean, girl, don't worry. You've got to go for what you want, especially in here!''

''Sorry, it's just the way that they're proper staring,'' Diamanté sniggered, turning her head.

''Nah, they are, aren't they. They're, like, proper analysing. Shall we give them a wave?''

''Why wouldn't they, girls? Let's be honest.''

Sienna was getting tired of being gawked at like an animal at the zoo. It was clear that the boys didn't quite know what to do with themselves at the minute, but they were all going to have their cake and eat it, too.

The girls slowly started to disperse, spreading themselves around the villa.

Jessica made a beeline straight towards Ayo. Within a minute they seemed to hit it off, chuckling away in the kitchen. After what had happened with Uma, if anyone's head was going to turn, Sienna was certain it would be his.

After putting his two cents in on the situation, no doubt, Joey left the two of them be and joined Emma in the den, catching up on anything and everything since they last spoke.

Sienna was resting on a lounger, half-raised in the bright blue pool. She sipped on her iced latte, peering around to see who could assist her in putting some sun cream on her back.

''Sean,'' she called, turning her head to look at the two boys sat on the sun deck. ''You don't mind if I borrow Ciaran for a moment, do you?''

''Not at all,'' he smirked, patting the Welsh boy on the back encouragingly. ''Make me proud, mate.''

Ciaran would be flat-out lying if he said Sienna didn't intrigue him, even if it was just a little bit. A strange pit had formed in his stomach since she had walked into the villa, which scared him all the same. 

''You okay?'' He asked, walking over and splaying himself on the damp lounger beside her. He took of the Louis Vuitton sunglasses he had been wearing — Nicole's, presumably — and left them forgotten on the side.

''Yeah, good, just need someone to do my back,'' she replied, offering him the tube.

He took the sun cream wordlessly, depositing a hearty squirt into his open palm. Sienna shuffled so that she was laying on her front, before he slowly pushed his hand against the plane of her back, careful to not let anything drip down on to her bikini bottoms.

She held back a gasp at the contact. His hand felt so warm and inviting against her already flushed body — honestly, Sienna could get used to the feeling of his skin against hers.

Ciaran kept his eyes on the back of her head, looking anywhere but at her sun-kissed skin. The action felt intimate as his hands rubbed gently against her, so much so that he couldn't help but feel guilty.

But, he wasn't doing anything wrong, was he? Everyone else was rather occupied getting their graft on, and if he was a girl, he wouldn't want Sean anywhere near him. So, he couldn't read into Sienna asking him for such a simple favour.

''How's your situation with Nicole?'' The Thorpe girl asked, wanting all the details.

''After three or four days in here, I think it was, we coupled up. Erm, Nicole is stunning — she's beautiful, really — but, there's more to it. Like, it's who she is as well, and it made me switch straight away. Yeah, it's going good.''

''Well, she sounds like a lucky girl. Do you think it would've been different if I'd been in here from the start, or . . . ?''

The question caught him off guard. Ciaran ran a sweaty hand over his face, swallowing hard. ''Oh, that's something I'll never know though, innit?''

''You could always find out,'' she shrugged. ''If there was ever a place to explore your options, it's Casa.''

''This place is mad, yeah,'' he agreed. ''So mad, honestly.''

''We've still got a few days. Who knows what could happen?''

''Yeah . . . who knows.''