Summer Beach Reads. Natalie Anderson

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      ‘Okay.’ She laughed, not needing the ‘best friend’ advice from her random-stranger lover. ‘Actually I feel liberated.’

      She wanted the fun back—to be involved in the industry where she was among her own kind: the fans. And that was what Bridie was offering her. They’d met one day at a location—Bridie took fans on set tours, and she knew just how much of a movie buff Ellie was.

      ‘How liberated are you feeling?’ Ruben Theroux’s expression had sharpened.

      Already she knew what that gleam meant. ‘Not that liberated.’

      ‘There’s absolutely no conflict of interest now.’

      ‘That’s definitely not why I resigned.’

      ‘But you know that, despite everything, we never did kiss.’

      ‘We did a whole lot more than kiss.’

      He shook his head. ‘But we never kissed mouth to mouth. I remember that clearly. I’ve spent the last hour remembering every second we had, very clearly.’

      She mirrored his head-shake. ‘We’re not going to kiss now.’

      ‘You can’t tell me you’re afraid.’

      His whisper stirred right where she refused to be stirred. ‘You can’t try to tease me into it.’

      It wasn’t right that she have the best sexual experience of her life with a complete stranger. One who’d no doubt share himself with the rest of the female population given half the chance. She convinced herself it had been so amazing because she’d been without so long. She’d been celibate for so many months, it had been like a cork releasing from an all-shook-up bottle of champagne. But these things didn’t last. Another sip and she’d discover how flat it had gone. It had to be that one-off pop of pleasure.

      ‘I think we should try just the once, just to see.’ A winning, teasing, tempting smile.

      She laughed. It was very apparent that Ruben Theroux wasn’t used to having his plans thwarted. He got what he wanted. And while part of her wanted what he was offering, she knew she’d want more than what he was prepared—or even able—to give in the long run.

      ‘No.’ She could say that to him and mean it. Sure she could.

      ‘There’s nothing so simple as a kiss.’

      ‘And nothing so complicated.’ And unfortunately, nothing else she could think about. His lips caused the problem. That natural curve upwards made them so inviting. Then there was that screamingly masculine line to his jaw. And those wretchedly captivating, laughing eyes.

      ‘Well, if you’re sure...’ He extended the invitation another few seconds.

      ‘Thanks anyway.’ She stepped back from it, turned and fled.

      * * *

      Up in her room it took all of thirty seconds to fling her things into her overnight bag. She giggled at the thought of his temptation. Terribly gorgeous guy, bound to be terribly unreliable.

      He was waiting round the front of the chateau. Her car had been brought up by one of those invisible service people who were brilliant.

      ‘I’ll make sure Nathan gets home somehow,’ Ruben said with a faint grimace.

      ‘Shouldn’t you be off talking with him already?’ She stowed her bag in the backseat.

      ‘He’s not my number one priority at the moment.’

      ‘Oh, you’re so good at the flattery, aren’t you?’

      ‘Given you’re so determined to leave, I guess I’m not that good.’ He tempered the words with that charming smile.

      She paused by her open driver door and met the look in his delicious eyes. ‘Right now I don’t have any regrets. I stay and I might get them. I don’t want to have any.’

      ‘What about what I want? What about my regrets?’

      ‘I can only apologise. Again.’

      He walked closer, taking hold of the door. ‘Never feel you have to apologise to me. Never ever.’

      Unable to answer that, she got in the car. She’d not been honest about her lack of regrets. She regretted nothing of what had happened, but of what else could have happened had they been different people with desires that converged.

      He closed the door for her but remained right by the car, expectantly. She fired the engine and hit the button to wind the window all the way down. He bent and leaned in so his face was right near hers.

      ‘You don’t get away that easy,’ he murmured, sliding his hand to her jaw.

      She couldn’t accelerate away or she’d take his arm—and head—with her. But there was no mistaking his intention.

      The smile said it all and those gorgeously curved lips arrowed in on hers. The touch was firm—but not totally dominant as she’d expected. No, he held back for all of a second or two. But then his hand cupped her head, angling her slightly better to meet his as his lips plundered hers. And in another instant she plundered right back, seeking more of that strong touch, that deliciousness—the full impact of his utter masculinity. The shivers skittered down her spine, the knots coiled tighter and tighter in her belly already. His tongue swept—playful, insistent, driving. How could so much be said with a kiss?

      She had no idea why she was gripping the steering wheel so tightly, or why she had her foot pushed so hard on the brake. The car engine wasn’t even running. But she just knew she was in danger.

      He stepped back. Her gaze was glued to him—to the fit, taut body and the smile that held as much rue as it did tease now. His big eyes burned right through hers.

      ‘My regret...’ he nodded slowly ‘...was not kissing you. Of course now I regret not kissing you sooner.’

      Breathless, she put her hand on his wrist, seeking one last touch of skin. ‘Thank you for being so nice to me.’

      His gaze narrowed. ‘I’m not as nice as all that, Ellie.’ His voice dropped so she leaned forward in her seat, nearer to hear him. ‘You need to know something about me.’

      She waited, lungs not breathing, heart not beating.

      ‘I’m man enough to take no for an answer,’ he said. ‘But I’m also man enough to fight for what I want.’

      Eyes not blinking, she had to ask. ‘What do you want?’

      ‘You again. Every way. Any way.’

      Oh.

      He broke the drilling intensity with one of those shattering smiles that gave him such an unfair advantage. ‘So if you want to go, you’d better go now.’

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