Waking up with Mr. Wrong—quite literally!

When film location scout Ellie Summers sneaks into a colleague’s hotel room with seduction in mind, she’s thrilled by her own daring!

But the smug morning-after glow morphs into red-faced mortification when she wakes in the arms of a total stranger! Ruben Theroux might be fine with the situation, but a flustered Ellie most definitely is not.

Ellie’s only defence against this very attractive guy is to insist they’re friends only—strictly no benefits! But Ruben isn’t a successful businessman for nothing—they’ll be good together, and he’s happy to play dirty to get what he wants....

“I’m so sorry this happened,” she said again, determined to ignore the savage desire rippling through her like some internal beast that refused to be tamed. What kind of depraved animal had she turned into?

“I’m not.”

She hardly heard him as she apologized another ten times, interspersing the phrase with a few more choice words beneath her breath. Clutching the sheet to her with one hand, she put her now freezing hand to her face.

He sat up, resting his weight on one hand behind him, and spoke more forcefully. “You didn’t do anything I didn’t want you to.”

That silenced her for all of a second. “You didn’t have much choice.” She looked across the bed at him. “I seduced you.” The guy had been sound asleep and she’d been stroking him all over. Like everywhere.

His smile burst forth again. “Yeah, well, it wasn’t like I said no.” He chuckled. “And it wasn’t like I was a virgin.”

Well, no, he hadn’t been that. Ellie bit her lips to stop from smiling. He’d had all the moves. And he executed another now—a languorous stretch that drew her attention once more to his completely fit length.

Hell, she had to move away before she did something stupid again. So she stood, taking the sheet with her. She didn’t care about leaving him exposed; he didn’t seem to be bothered by it. Whereas all she wanted to do was hide. She tried to wind the sheet around herself, glanced up to see him watching closely— with undisguised amusement and arousal. Man, was he aroused.

“You’re free to take advantage of me anytime you like,” he said softly, lying back down again. “Or you can come back to bed and let me take advantage of you this time.”

Possibly the only librarian who got told off herself for talking too much, NATALIE ANDERSON decided writing books might be more fun than shelving them—and, boy, is it that! Especially writing romance—it’s the realization of a lifetime dream kick-started by many an afternoon spent devouring Grandma’s Harlequin romances....

She lives in New Zealand, with her husband and four gorgeous-but-exhausting children. Swing by her website, www.natalie-anderson.com, any time—she’d love to hear from you.

Waking Up In The Wrong Bed

Natalie Anderson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

For June—thank you for giving us such a great port in our ground-shuddering storm.

We would have been lost if it weren’t for you.

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

EPILOGUE

EXCERPT

CHAPTER ONE

SOME wicked time beyond midnight, Ellie darted along the hallways of the luxury lodge in an almost sheer slip. The plush carpet absorbed the rapid beat of her bare feet. The puff of air-conditioning didn’t cool the mad heat blushing her skin. She was on an indulgence mission and, imprisoned by hedonistic—champagne-riddled—impulse, sanity didn’t stand a chance.

She danced down the stairs to the next level, to where she knew he was sleeping. She counted the doors—one, two, three—and opened the next.

But his bedroom was empty. The dim light of an almost moonless night invaded through open curtains, revealing no body-sized lump in the bed. In fact it was so smooth it looked like a perfectly iced cake.

Disappointment dashed her spirits—because she wasn’t hungry for cake. She was starving for something way more meaty than that. She’d gone fun-free for too long. So, inspired by the fabulosity of the location, she’d decided to hell with it and to take what he’d been offering for weeks. Until now she’d parried his flirtatious invites, unsure of his integrity. But here, in this most seductive location, what did anything matter but the moment? And this moment she wanted to enjoy some male, physical, attention. In a place as beautiful as this, surely fantasy could come true?

Yes. Having finally got the courage, she wasn’t going to let fate confound her. Reckless joie de vivre bubbled again and she slipped back out to the hall. Maybe she’d counted wrong, or had the wrong side of the corridor? She pivoted one eighty and counted again. One, two three. Carefully she turned the handle of the fourth door.

Occupied.

Her over-wired senses instantly assimilated the signs—warmth, gentle, regular breathing, a light spiced scent. She quietly closed the door behind her. A couple of steps in she nearly stumbled over the shoe. The size said it all—a man’s boot. This was the one, then.

The ten-inch gap in the curtains let in what light that waning moon threw. A gap that wide had to be deliberate—he must like to see the sun, moon and stars too. Smiling, she blinked to adjust her vision. Then, yes, in the wonderfully huge bed, she could just make out his laid-back shape, right in the centre. His dark hair contrasted against the white pillow, his face turned away from her. Then cloud crossed the moon, dulling the room to nothing but shades of black.

But she crept forward, heated inside and out.

‘Hey,’ she whispered. ‘Are you asleep?’

Dumb question when she could hear the regularity of that breathing for herself.

‘Hey,’ she murmured again as she stretched across the bed, her hand out to touch...skin.

Oh, he was hot.

She snatched her fingers back, suddenly shy. Her heart bashed her ribs as adrenalin flooded, forcing a too-fast beat. She took a second to breathe, because never before had she slipped into the driver’s seat like this. Her throat blocked, she could think of nothing else to say. But sensation—temptation—drove her closer. Despite the goosebumps popping over every inch of her skin, she burned.

She knelt on the bed, boldness returning the closer she got to his heat. Slowly, she slid her hand towards the point where the bed was depressed by the weight of one big, warm male. Her seeking fingers hit the boundary from cool cotton to hot body, but she pushed through her last nervousness, sliding her fingers up and over his hair-roughened skin.

Every cell inside her squeezed. The hit of pure pleasure from that smallest of touches surprised her. She’d not expected such excitement from so little. But perhaps this was about risk as well and she, who’d always been risk averse, was beyond excited already.

In daylight she found him perfectly resistible—they’d never even kissed. It had mainly been talk and suggestion—a way to help pass the boring bits at work. And there’d been more dull moments than anything recently—all paperwork, no perks. She’d hoped for job satisfaction this weekend, knew this was part of why she’d been offered the trip. But this place had her thoughts turning to the personal. Yes, now, up this close to his heat and that scent she’d never before noticed, she couldn’t wait to discover him in this dark night.

His skin was warm, the breadth and obvious strength of his muscles another surprise. Who knew that beneath his customary too-trendy suits was a body of awesome size? Clutching one hand to her chest, she gently swept the other over his stomach, sliding the sheet down as she searched him out. He was completely naked and as a result only one word remained in her brain—amazing.

She was lost in her unrestrained exploration, so it was a few seconds before she sensed the change in him. Then she felt the ripple as, beneath skin, his muscles responded to her touch.

Stimulated.

She was emboldened by those signs, her reach went further, firmer. And her own excitement built as she realised the extent of his. It wasn’t just with her hand that she touched him now. Bending, she pressed her mouth to his thigh. His hands lifted, his fingers thrusting through her hair, gently massaging. So her instinct had been right.

He was awake.

She knelt, lifting a knee across so she straddled him.

‘Oh, yeah.’ Sleep-rusted, hoarse, hungry, his voice sounded strange.

‘Yeah,’ she agreed with a breathy laugh, heart racing at her daring and his rising to the occasion so magnificently. ‘You’re okay with this?’

‘Oh, yeah,’ he repeated with a groan.

She felt his big release of air. Felt his hands firmly curve around her thighs. His fingers stroked over her skin, but with enough strength to keep her there.

He wanted her there.

She closed her eyes, letting her fingers feel him—that hot, stretched skin. Her sensuality exploded, extremely intense. The delight in discovering her recklessness would have such reward made her all the more liberated. In the past she’d been shy sexually—cautious, self-conscious, half afraid of doing something wrong or not being good enough. She’d never have dared this. But none of those feelings came into play now. Under the influence of lush surroundings, rich food and drink, this inky midnight and his rapid response, she simply didn’t care. She felt too heavenly. Scent filled the warm darkness—a mix of the citrus of her shampoo and the spice of his soap. Not his usual aftershave. She guessed it was the guest soap. She made a mental note to find out the brand because it tantalised—encouraging her to taste.

Bending forward again, she brushed her hair over his skin as she kissed across his chest, finding one of his nipples to lick. She ran her hand down his abs. His muscles were rock solid. Hell, all of him was rock solid.

He pushed her shoulders so she sat up. His hands slid over her slip, over her belly to shape her breasts. He suddenly moved, lifting to pull the fabric from her. She raised her arms so he could take it over her head and toss it, she didn’t care where. His hands slipped back to her butt, clutching her close—his touch possessive. She liked it. She also liked the thick part of him that she had one hand around. He stayed strained upwards, so his mouth teased her breasts as his fingers had for those too few delicious seconds before. She trembled—amazed that she could be so close so quick.

‘If I’d known it was going to be like this,’ she muttered hotly, ‘I wouldn’t have held back so long.’

She could have been having sex this good for the last two months—how had she been so blind to this chemistry?

He buried his face harder into her curves. Clutching her closer, kissing down her neck all the more passionately.

All this time her other hand had been curled into a tight fist, and tucked in the middle of that was something she knew they needed—now. She reluctantly let go of him to take the packet in both hands, tearing it open. Then she tried to get the thing to work.

‘You have to help me with this,’ she panted. Her fingers not getting the slippery rubber to roll down right.

He lay back, his hands pushed hers out of the way, but she bent, following the downward stroke of his fingers with her mouth. He hissed a curse—a whisper so stretched with desire it broke.

She laughed, delighted, and lost her last fragment of inhibition. The breathlessness, the haste, the heat, all turned her on to an extreme degree. He seemed to have the same reaction. His erection strained flat against his stomach. She straddled, shifting closer to him, letting her core rest just on the base of him, his tight balls just beneath her butt. She teased them both with tiny squeezes of her muscles, like little kisses from her intimate lips. The hard ridge of him was delicious torment on her sweet spot and grinding against him set her on an even faster track to ecstasy. Oh, yeah, now it was carnal, now it was insane. Never so raw and passionate and quick. He growled and firmly slid his big hand up her thigh, then forced his fingers between their bodies. She moaned, abandoned, as he used his thumb to tease her. He sat up to kiss her breasts again as he toyed with her, circling her rhythmically, occasionally slipping deep. She was dripping with desire, unashamedly writhing as he flicked his fingers, as he licked and kissed up to her neck, then down to her breasts again. Almost at the point of climax she pushed him back, her strength catching him by surprise. A loud smacking sound clapped in the room as she broke the seal of his mouth on her skin. He fell back on the mattress and she held him there with a hard hand on his shoulder.

‘I want to do it,’ she growled, grabbing his rigid length in a wide fist, hovering above him for one moment of ecstatic anticipation.

She gasped as she slid, instinctively clamping tight and twisting down on him. He roared and she felt his muscles flex. She smiled, thrilled he was as turned on as she. He arched uncontrollably again; whatever words he muttered were unintelligible.

She pressed her palms to his big, taut biceps for leverage, for control. Her fingers curled into the solid muscle as she began to ride him. Filled with limitless energy and endurance, she took him deeper and deeper, over and over. He was big and powerful and she loved having him beneath her. Oh, yeah, he was the most incredible ride. Perfect—big enough to fill her ravenous appetite—too big really. But that was exactly what she’d wanted—an extreme experience of pleasure.

His hands cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples between finger and thumb, until—mere seconds later—she lifted and sank on him too fast for him to keep grip, so he swept his palms over her curves, slipping down to her waist, smoothing the sudden slick of sweat over her body. And then his hands spread wide on her thighs, his fingers firmed, holding her soft flesh as tightly as she was gripping his biceps. Suddenly he thrust hard, meeting her in a massive movement. She roared with pleasure then, as the duel for dominance began. Her fingers curled deep into his, pressing down as he pushed up, ratcheting the friction. They drove hard, slamming together faster and faster, each forcing the other to ecstatic abandonment.

‘So good, oh, so good,’ she panted, almost inaudible. ‘Oh, it’s never been so good.’

So good it was only seconds before she came with a harsh, high cry. Only one more before he came hard after.

* * *

Rapid, jerky breathing filled her head—her own and his. Sensual joy surged through her in a final squeeze. If she had the energy she’d laugh. But she was sweaty and breathless and so zapped she was fast sinking into a lax, sleepy mass.

She heard footsteps—the clipping sound of high heels on concrete. A cough, then laughter rising up from the courtyard below the window. She froze. People were still up, still awake. Could have heard... The realization brought reality back with a crash.

The morning after hadn’t been a very much thought-upon part of her plan. Now all the decisions came to her split-second: this would change nothing between them. They’d be colleagues who’d had a carefree kick together one night. That was all. She knew he flirted with every woman he met and that this would mean nothing to him. So it had to mean nothing to her too. She liked to think he’d keep his mouth shut. While in their industry hook-ups were common, this was her first. But she knew it would hardly become notorious news—there were people far more important than her for others to talk about. And she was not going to let this get ugly. It was over already.

She peeled her chest from his, preparing to slide off his body and get back to her own room. But he pulled her back against him. He was stronger than she’d thought he’d be. He was more everything than she’d thought he’d be.

‘Stay.’ A low, sleepy word—but a command none the less. His embrace tightened. Inescapable but so irresistible.

She hadn’t expected this caring comfort either. He rolled them both in a smooth movement, settling them into a sleep position—still devastatingly intimate. The moment of clarity she’d had before now melted in lax drowsiness as she physically melted back into his warm strength. He lifted a heavy leg over hers, his arms curled tighter—cradling her ultra-close. Consciousness slipped. Her muscles were spent, that yearning in her depths sated. The last thing she heard was another burst of laughter coming through the open window. A man’s laugh. With the last fragment of conscious energy she frowned—she recognised that laugh.

* * *

Hours later she slowly woke to a low moan echoing in her ears. Her own moan as she released a breath that seemed to have been held for ever. Her heart was pumping, her skin—and other bits—damp and so hot. She was having the most vivid, gorgeous dream. She resisted opening her eyes, wanting to stay in the sizzling fantasy. And in that fantasy she was imprisoned in the arms of one very hot, hard body—part of that body was very, very hard. His fingertips gently brushed down her lower belly. The urge to flex her hips—to invite—was irresistible. As she rocked back against him she felt the rebellious ache in her muscles, but she didn’t care. Not as the memories cleared—the wildness of that ride coming into focus. Not when his hips teased right back and his fingers went...

‘Good morning.’ His voice was less sleep-rusted than it had been last night, but it was still strange.

Ellie froze. Her heart stopped, totalling her oxygen supply. Then she spun, inadvertently trapping his hand between her legs. The molten-brown eyes intently focused on her weren’t the pale green ones she’d expected.

‘Oh, my God!’ She jerked to a sitting position, trapping his hand all the more. Clutching the sheet to her chest with hands curled into claws, she squawked, utterly breathless, ‘Who the hell are you?’

CHAPTER TWO

RUBEN THEROUX had never had a bedmate regret frolicking with him and he had no intention of breaking that record now. He didn’t care that he hadn’t a clue who his sexy intruder was. No, the question he’d spent the last twenty minutes musing over was what colour her eyes were. Now he knew. Cornflower blue and crazy big. And though shock had whitened her face, she was still the prettiest thing he’d woken to find in his bed. Then again, he hadn’t woken to anyone in his bed in a while. Relationships and Ruben were like oil and water, and he’d been too busy in recent times for even a five hour fling. So maybe it wasn’t surprising he’d spent so long studying the soft woman soundly sleeping—until he’d succumbed to the temptation to tease. And, oh, my, she was hot to tease.

‘You’re not Nathan.’ Strangled sound emerged as she stated the obvious.

‘No,’ he answered calmly, not moving a muscle so as not to freak her out more. But who the hell was Nathan and how could she have made such a mistake?

‘How can you not be Nathan?’ she gasped.

Yeah, his thoughts exactly. ‘Well.’ He stated it quietly. ‘This isn’t Nathan’s room. This is my room.’ Literally. Every room in the place was his.

Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times. He waited—motionless—to see how this was going to go. She didn’t seem to realise her thighs were sandwiching his hand in a hot, smooth vice and he wasn’t going to make any sudden kind of movement. But the memory of those limbs straddling his hips wasn’t helping him recover his equilibrium. All he could feel were those lush, strong curves. He wanted the rest of him to be in the midst of them again.

She flicked a wild glance around the room and then arrowed all her attention right back at him. ‘But this has to be his room—I counted the doors. The other one was empty.’

He pressed his lips together to stop the chuckle sliding out because he didn’t want to make the situation worse for her.

‘Are you sure you’re in the right room?’ she asked, her eyes still shocked wide.

‘Positive. I got in late last night.’ He’d been so tired it had been all he’d been able to do to stumble from the shower straight to what was definitely his bed. ‘I came to bed and then the best dream ever turned out to be real.’

Only his dream-turned-real lover was now turning fifty shades of red—embarrassment staining her skin in a swift sweep. Her murmurs of pleasure came back to him—her rough claim that she hadn’t known it would be so good. Yeah. The sweetheart had made a mistake. She’d meant that passion for some other guy. A sharp claw of envy swiped his ribs, puncturing his enjoyment of his best ever wake-up. But it hadn’t been some other guy who’d pleased her so much. It had been him.

‘You’re a guest here?’ she asked in a low choked voice.

‘Actually I—’

She didn’t give him the chance to introduce himself; instead she launched into a monologue of mortification and panic. ‘Oh, I can’t believe this. I can’t believe it. I’m so sorry. I am so, so sorry.’

Partly because he wanted to see her reaction, but mainly because he couldn’t resist, he let his fingers stroke—just the once, so very gently—in the hot, damp prison she gripped them in.

The incessant apologies ended instantly on a breathless gasp. Her mouth reddened, her muscles tightened and her temperature sizzled. His eyes locked on hers, watching the blue go brilliant, then her black pupils absorbed that colour as they swelled super fast. Her flush deepened. He felt the spasms before she twisted, releasing him as she scuttled to the far edge of the bed.

‘You don’t need to apologise,’ he said, wondering if he should be the one saying sorry now. But he couldn’t quite regret it. She’d been waking up so wonderfully willing in his arms when she’d thought he was this Nathan, but just then? That had been a raw response to him. She was hot and hungry for him. As she’d been last night when he’d been the one to meet her demands.

A swift glance told him what he needed to know—there were no rings between those white knuckles. No guy had staked a permanent claim and the Nathan guy was a fool for not taking her to bed sooner. The woman was passionate and hungry, literally a dream lover.

He coughed to ease the constriction in his chest. ‘I’m sorry I’m not Nathan.’

Only because he wanted what she’d meant for the other guy—that invitation and pleasure. Hell, he wanted it now. He was stiffer than a steel pipe and feeling her sensual response spike like that had worsened it. But he fought the impulse to drag her close again, wincing at his new-found Neanderthal leanings.

The poor woman was completely mortified and he was all rampaging lust, desperate to sleep with her again. What kind of human was he?

Definitely one who’d been without too long. Because try as hard as he could he couldn’t seem to ‘relax’.

‘Don’t be sorry.’ She emphatically shook her head.

Her deepening discomfort bothered him more than his uncontrollable body. Somehow he had to limit the damage here and help her find a funny side. And nothing smoothed a situation more than some humour.

* * *

Ellie struggled to hide her breathlessness. Shock still had her lungs in a tight grip, but so did desire—she was seconds from orgasm and, frankly, that doubled her shock.

She stared at the complete stranger only a couple of feet from her. The stranger that she now knew so intimately. And just looking at him sent her heart rate through the ceiling.

‘You’re okay?’ The soft query delivered between dangerously curved lips. That gorgeous smile was as natural to him as the stripes were to the tiger. Oh, yeah, he’d been blessed with beautiful lips, upturned at the ends so he looked as if he was always in good humour. Which, given all his other assets, he probably was.

She clutched the sheet closer. Only her action dragged the sheet completely off him and, yeah, this was definitely not Nathan. And his natural assets were...sizable.

‘I’m so sorry this happened,’ she said again, determined to ignore the savage desire rippling through her like some internal beast that refused to be tamed. What kind of depraved animal had she turned into?

‘I’m not.’

She hardly heard him as she apologised another ten times, interspersing the phrase with a few more choice words beneath her breath. Clutching the sheet to her with one hand, she put her now freezing hand to her face.

He sat up, resting his weight on one hand behind him, and spoke more forcefully. ‘You didn’t do anything I didn’t want you to.’

That silenced her for all of a second. ‘You didn’t have much choice.’ She looked across the bed at him. ‘I seduced you.’ The guy had been sound asleep and she’d been stroking him all over. Like everywhere.

His smile burst forth again. ‘Yeah, well, it wasn’t like I said no.’ He chuckled. ‘And it wasn’t like I was a virgin.’

Well, no, he hadn’t been that. Ellie bit her lips to stop from smiling. He’d had all the moves. And he executed another now—a languorous stretch that drew her attention once more to his completely fit length.

Hell, she had to move away before she did something stupid again. So she stood, taking the sheet with her. She didn’t care about leaving him exposed, he didn’t seem to be bothered by it. Whereas all she wanted to do was hide. She tried to wind the sheet around herself, glanced up to see him watching close—with undisguised amusement—and arousal. Man, was he aroused.

‘You’re free to take advantage of me any time you like,’ he said softly, lying back down again. ‘Or, you can come back to bed and let me take advantage of you this time.’

Oh, she so nearly had already and they both knew it. She felt her blush deepen. ‘I really am sorry.’

‘Sweetheart,’ he drawled, but with an underlying hint of seriousness. ‘I could have stopped you if I’d wanted to.’

And there was the question. She looked up from her twisted toga attempt—facing his gaze direct. ‘Why didn’t you want to?’

He roared with laughter, his whole body clenched into an expression of enjoyment. Her gaze skittered south all of its own accord. Built for enjoyment—his clearly defined muscles spelled strength and stamina and gloriously good reproductive genes. And his reaction proved he was such a man. An all-about-fun man. She’d been a sexual toy for the night—as of course he had been for her. A really good toy.

Ellie tried to get her thoughts back on track—berating herself with worst-case scenarios. Imagine if he’d been married. What if he hadn’t been alone in the room? She didn’t know which would be worse. All she knew was that his utterly relaxed acceptance of her mistake was astounding.

‘What were you thinking going along with it? Do women leap on you all the time?’ Actually, looking at him? They probably did.

‘I was asleep. At first I thought it was just an amazing dream.’

‘A 4D dream,’ she said sceptically.

‘Yeah, hot and wet,’ he half groaned, movement rippling down his muscles. ‘You’re sure you don’t want to come back to bed?’

‘Quite sure.’ She clipped out the lie, all of a sudden desperate to get out of there before she threw caution to the wind and went for a repeat of last night’s decadence.

‘Honey, relax. I’m single, you’re...’ He paused, his voice lifting in question, his eyes unwaveringly focused on hers.

‘Single,’ she confirmed.

He paused as his expression seemed to sharpen. ‘So tell me about Nathan.’

‘He’s no one.’ She so didn’t want to go there.

‘He’s not your boyfriend or your benefits guy or whatever?’

‘No.’ She squeaked out an answer from her strangled-feeling throat. She supposed she did owe the guy some kind of explanation but it was just so mortifying. ‘We’re colleagues. He’d been flirting and I... For once I just felt like...’ She trailed off, her toes curling into the plush carpet. Now she wanted to disappear into the sheet completely.

‘Nothing wrong with feeling like it.’ Her naked lover shrugged his shoulders. ‘So it wasn’t because you’re secretly in love with the guy and want to have his babies?’

‘No babies,’ she answered faintly. ‘Don’t worry.’ She inhaled a hit of oxygen for courage. ‘What we did was... It was safe.’

He sat up slowly. ‘I remember.’ His gaze lingered on her mouth. ‘So no babies but you’re not in love with him either?’

She shook her head. ‘I just thought I’d say yes for once. Take the bull by the horns, so to speak.’

‘You like rodeo?’ His irrepressible smile quirked.

‘Actually I don’t think it’s really for me,’ she muttered, all but dying.

‘But you ride so beautifully. Great seat, great rhythm. You’re a natural,’ he teased, chuckling at her baleful look. ‘So you don’t often do random seductions?’

The idea of her being some vixen seductress was so far off the mark it was hysterical. But she wasn’t going to get hysterical herself. No, she took a calming breath and reckoned she could manage to get into the tease zone too. That was the way to handle this. ‘Only on full moons.’

‘Oh, you’re a were-woman?’

She flicked her brows and then dropped the pretence. ‘Honestly, the location helped.’ She fiddled with the sheet and couldn’t look at him. She knew this guy of all guys wasn’t going to get hung up on double standards, but she was still embarrassed.

‘The chateau?’

‘It’s so luxurious.’ She nodded, truly meaning it. ‘All the fabric, the furnishings. It’s beautiful.’

‘Yeah,’ he said slowly. ‘But I’ve never thought of it as an erotic destination. It’s not like there are mirrors on the ceiling, tie-me-down bed ends, or twenty types of massage oil in the bathroom cabinet.’ He glanced around the utterly tasteful room with a perplexed look.

Ellie was smoking-hot over his list of essentials for an erotic destination. She’d never thought she’d be into anything more than vanilla but the man had said ‘tie-me-down’ and she was ready to hunt out the ropes. She banished the image but couldn’t help smiling as she tried to explain it more. ‘It has this kind of discreet decadence. And it was a warm night. I’d had the most amazing shower.’ She put her hand to her head because this so wasn’t enough. ‘And they serve French champagne.’

‘Ah-h-h.’ He nodded as if that explained it all. ‘French champagne.’

She shrugged and gave up at that. She truly hadn’t been tipsy. She’d just been bewitched and decided to please herself.

‘This place was once dubbed Frenchman’s Folly, did you know that?’ he asked softly.

‘No.’ She frowned. ‘No one could call this place a folly. It’s more a fantasy.’

And you had to have a fantastical bank balance to be able to stay here. A guy this fit was probably some elite athlete or something. She wondered if she ought to recognise him.

‘Perhaps people thought his folly was his marriage.’

‘Oh.’ Ellie paused. ‘Shame if he was heartbroken. This isn’t a place for heartbreak.’

Her naked lover chuckled. ‘Only for pleasure, huh? But you and your colleague were here for business?’

‘I wasn’t supposed to come here at all.’ She flushed deeper at the unintended entendre. ‘It’s not one of my files but last minute our boss wanted me to be here for backup.’

‘So what’s the business?’

‘I work as a location scout. You know—finding places to film movies and stuff.’

His brows lifted as he picked up her lack of enthusiasm. ‘You don’t think this would be a good location?’

‘It would be an amazing location,’ Ellie said fervently. ‘And I know it sounds like an amazing job and all—it’s actually really not that much fun.’

‘How can having to spend time in places like this not be fun?’ he challenged her.

‘I don’t get to come on the trips much.’ She coloured again as she saw him smile. ‘I’m usually stuck in the office working on the paperwork. I’ve not been there that long.’ She shrugged. Trouble was she excelled at paperwork—every job she had she’d done too well in the admin department to be let out of it. Frustrating wasn’t the word.

‘And so to make sure you got the most out of this trip, you went hunting for some pleasure as well?’ He was laughing as he said it.

And what could she do? There was no hope in denying it or in explaining the mad moment of need for contact that she’d experienced. So she nodded. ‘Massive mistake.’

‘Yeah, but not a disaster.’

Not a disaster, no—she’d had the best sex of her life. But it had been with a total stranger. They hadn’t even kissed. There was absolutely no emotional connection between them. It just wasn’t supposed to work that way. And she couldn’t want more—could she? She tried to claw back her common sense—because what kind of a guy happily screwed complete strangers? A playboy. With a smile that cheeky and attitude that cocky? Yeah, as he’d admitted, he was no innocent.

She closed her eyes and groaned. ‘Why didn’t I turn on the light?’

‘Given the way you’re clutching that sheet around you, I’m guessing you like it best in the dark.’ He laughed. ‘Typical.’

‘Excuse me?’ Indignance rose, she couldn’t restrain her reaction to his tease.

‘Hiding your body.’ He shook his head. ‘What a waste.’

There was some truth to his accusation. Lights on for sex wasn’t something that did it for her—fast-train to self-conscious. And it was then that she became aware of what she must look like—no doubt her hair would be bigger and more bouffant than some eighties rockstar’s. Oh, fabulous. At least she wouldn’t have panda eyes from smudged mascara. But still, this didn’t really make up for the fact that she’d slept with the wrong guy. The guy she couldn’t tear her eyes from.

He was smiling as dangerously as ever. ‘But then you clearly have a latent wild streak.’

It seemed so. But next time she felt in need of satisfaction she’d mail order a vibrator. She clamped her elbows to her ribs, holding the sheet in place while she tried to cool her cheeks with her hands. She was getting turned on all over again just by looking at the guy. ‘Look, I really should go. Let’s just forget this ever happened.’

She attempted a march to the door. Only her sheet was a liability and his nudity gave him a speed advantage.

‘You don’t get away just yet.’ He leaned against the door blocking her exit, all six feet four inches of bared magnificence. ‘We have some more to talk about.’

Now he was standing up and towering over her, she had the melting sensation so deep it was unbearable. Her fingers itched; she could hardly stand still against the hot pull inside. Secret muscles flexed in excitement. Her heart thundered.

‘Will you put some clothes on?’ she asked desperately. He was too damn hot and she couldn’t think with him like that.

His amusement flared again. ‘Why? I’m not going to hide how attracted I am to you.’

It wasn’t her he was attracted to, it was sex. And his nudity was messing with her hormones too. She’d gone completely animal. She half laughed on a gasp. ‘Just please put some clothes on. Please.’

He shrugged his refusal, his expression one of total tease. ‘I’m comfortable. You’re really not comfortable with baring all, are you?’

What she wasn’t comfortable with was her body’s insane reaction to the sight of his—tall, toned and so sex-ready her insides were curling in on themselves. Her nerves clamoured for the sensation of him sliding in and out of her. This complete stranger had her more insanely excited than she’d ever been in her life. ‘Well, can you please turn around while I get decent?’

‘Really?’ His full lips pouted. ‘I don’t get the peep show?’

‘You’ve had more than enough, okay?’ she choked. ‘Please be the gentleman I know you are and turn around.’

‘What makes you so certain I’m a gentleman?’

She fearlessly held eye contact. ‘You let the lady go first.’

‘Oh, that wasn’t gentlemanly. That was for my own pleasure.’ His lips curved more deeply into that delicious smile and he answered mock primly, ‘But, okay, if you insist, I shall avert my eyes.’

He presented her with his rear view. She just gawped for a second, before remembering her intention and dropping the sheet to hurriedly dash back across the room, around the bed to find her slip. Glancing down, she saw a couple of light bruises colouring her thigh. The faintest of finger marks. She remembered his firm clutch with vivid clarity. The squeezes as she’d slid down to take him to the hilt over and over. She turned her head away and screwed her eyes shut tight, as if she could block the blush as the involuntary excitement skittered through her.

‘Okay, I’m decent.’ Breathing in, she watched him turn back to face her. He was no more physically ‘relaxed’.

‘You were wearing that?’ He half gasped, theatrically pressing his hand against his ribs. ‘Damn, I wish you had turned on the lights.’

‘Stop it.’ She laughed. ‘You don’t need to try and flatter me.’

‘Yeah, I do.’ He walked towards her, totally serious now. ‘How can I not?’

She could see the muscles twitching under his skin. She’d never considered herself any kind of seductress before and she knew she wasn’t really now—it was that sexual toy thing. They shared an illicit fantasy for real. The guy was no doubt sex-mad. Insatiable. One track. Only problem with that was his condition had rubbed off on her. Hell, the thought of him finding her so attractive put a zing in her step. But to do this again—stone-cold sober and in the cold light of day? She wasn’t that crazy. She backed up, snatched up the towel from the low table next to her and threw it at him in defence.

He caught it and held it so it unfolded like a flag. ‘What am I supposed to do with this?’

Oh, hell, she’d not got the towel—only the facecloth that had sat on top of it. Pocket-hanky-sized—ridiculously small hanging from his hand.

‘I’m insulted,’ he teased. ‘I think you need a refresher in what I have to offer.’

‘Oh, don’t.’ She giggled, unable to hide her all-over-body blush in just the slip—she needed the sheet back. ‘Just...don’t.’

He chuckled. ‘I’m glad you can see the funny side.’

Biting her lip, she shook her head. ‘Oh, this is such a nightmare.’

‘Crazy, yes, nightmare, no. Don’t regret it.’

She steadfastly met the sincerity in his eyes. And the smile on his mouth. Yeah, she bet he’d experienced many a morning after. ‘You know how to give a girl a good time.’

‘I like to think it’s one of my strengths.’

Oh, it was.

He turned, his attention grabbed by something out of the window. ‘This Nathan guy,’ he muttered. ‘Wouldn’t have dark hair and laugh like a hyena?’

She reluctantly moved to stand next to him. Not a hyena, but a distinctive laugh. She remembered hearing it late last night, right when she shouldn’t have. Right when she’d breathlessly been falling towards sleep, when her lover had still been inside her and caressing the base of her spine with gentle fingers.

‘Oh.’ She swallowed the swearword when she saw Nathan kiss the pretty young woman they’d met at the bar in the late afternoon yesterday.

Naked Guy’s eyebrows had shot upwards. ‘It looks like he might have been sharing his flirt around.’

Just a little.

‘It’s like a French farce,’ Ellie muttered. But it was real. ‘In a chateau and everything.’ She felt her mystery lover turn his gaze on her and refused to show any kind of disappointment.

‘I can’t believe you mistook me for him,’ Naked Guy accused in a tone of utter outrage. ‘He’s at least five inches shorter than I am. And not as fit.’ He flexed his muscles in a preening display.

Yeah, they were poles apart. This guy was way more outrageous than Nathan. Bold in flirtation. In his demands. Desire. He tempted with humour and cheerful abandon.

‘You were lying down,’ she said through gritted teeth.

‘And you hadn’t slept with him.’ He sounded pleased about that.

She didn’t reply. She knew she’d admitted that last night in her amazed gasps of pleasure. They both watched the couple in the courtyard for another moment.

Her tall lover was the one to break the silence, turning to face her directly. ‘Well, I’ll be frank, I think you got the better deal.’

She gaped at him. Then giggled. ‘Arrogant much?’ She laughed again only for the sound to die quickly as she shook her head and gave it to him. ‘But I’ll admit in this case, I think you might be right.’

‘You think?’ he asked, mock-outraged. ‘Come on, you know that was spectacular.’

She felt her blush rising again as memories twisted between them, trying to draw them together.

‘Well.’ She breathed out, brazening her way through the most mortifying experience of her life. ‘Okay. Yes. Thanks so much, it was...’ She couldn’t think of an appropriate adjective.

‘Fantastic and you can’t wait to see me again,’ he inserted for her.

She shook her head. ‘No.’ She tempered the bad news with a smile. ‘This was what it was.’ One almighty screw-up. ‘But we’re not going there again.’

‘Oh, come on.’ He walked forward. ‘That hot, that quick?’ He shook his head. ‘We’d be crazy not to enjoy that again. You want to as much as I do.’ His gaze flickered to her chest. She didn’t need to look down to know her nipples were turned on like bright beacons, begging for his touch again.

Oh, yeah, she was tempted.

‘It had been a while for you, hadn’t it?’

‘Last full moon,’ she said breathlessly.

‘Liar.’ He called her on it. ‘You’re blushing more than a gaggle of schoolgirls. You can hardly look at me. You’re no vixen. Although it has to be said you have potential.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘And you’re offering to give me a bit more practice?’

‘Of course I am,’ he said simply. ‘It had been a while for me too.’

She snorted. That she simply didn’t believe.

His grin flashed. ‘Truth. I’ve been busy at work and I haven’t had any midnight callers. But you’ve really whet my appetite.’

Had she? It wasn’t only his appetite piqued.

‘I know it was an unconventional way of meeting, but we’re good together.’

For a moment Ellie let fantasy rule—imagined being with him again for another round or thirty of spectacular sex. Fantasy morphed—from this they’d develop some wonderful relationship that would rival the highest-grossing Hollywood chick flick’s happiest of endings... And, yeah, there was the problem. In the past she’d given too much where it wasn’t wanted. She’d been crushed before; she wouldn’t be daft enough to set herself up for a similar sort of heartache. She knew herself, before long she’d want the full fantasy. But a guy like this wasn’t the sort to do happy ever after. She’d seen his unveiled edge—unashamed, reckless—a complete playboy. Someone who could go along with an anonymous one-night stand with such relaxed, outrageous humour? Too, too casual. And while she could live with a casual—frankly marvellous—mistake in her life, it had to be one-off. Her non-plan with Nathan had been for just the once. This definitely had to be just the once. Naked Guy here was just too fit for her to keep up with.

‘It can’t happen.’ Her final decision.

‘Not because of Nathan.’ Statement not question.

‘No. Because of me.’ She’d get burned by Mr Naked & Too Hot to Handle. He was too much more everything than any other man she’d met—more gorgeous, more good-humoured, not only blessed by nature but more talented in bed than any guy had the right to be. She’d fall so hard, in a heartbeat.

He hadn’t taken his eyes from hers, as if trying to read her thoughts. Looking right back at him, into those molten-chocolate eyes, Ellie felt her thoughts begin to splinter dangerously. One thought became dominant. Not a thought—an urge. Steam rose, blinkering her vision—all she wanted was to plant a kiss on those perfectly curved lips.

She breathed, blinked, stepped back. Not going to happen. She moved quickly, opening the door and stepping out of the insanity.

‘Wait.’ He stepped after her, apparently not caring that she was in the middle of the hall in a sheer slip and he had only a facecloth failing to protect his modesty. ‘I don’t know your name. Mine’s—’

‘Don’t.’ She held up her hand. ‘Let’s just pretend the whole thing was a dream.’

‘But—’

‘Bye!’ She clutched her breasts so she could sprint down the hallway to the stairs.

‘You’re going to leave me like this?’

She turned at his holler, saw him standing outrageously proud, bolder than anyone she’d met in her life. He had a fascinating lack of care, and an ability to find amusement in anything—that made him all the more intriguing. But she forced another step back from temptation. ‘I’m sure you’ll figure something out.’

Yeah, it’d be no time ’til he tempted another woman into his bed. And Ellie would be all envy.

CHAPTER THREE

‘ELLIE, where have you been?’ Nathan pointedly looked at his watch when Ellie finally made it down to the breakfast table an hour and a shower later. There was no sign of his girl guest—or any other guests either.

She squared her shoulders, refusing to feel even a hint of regret about last night. Maybe she should feel worse, but the gorgeous Naked Guy had completely diffused any threat of angst with his humour and relaxed attitude. And Nathan here had been scoring someone else. At least he never had to know about her crazy intention last night. She really had got the better end of the deal.

‘I’ve been waiting ages for you.’ Nathan’s tone turned more to the ‘smooth’ one he used so often.

And she really didn’t think so. ‘I didn’t know we were in such a rush to get going,’ she answered ultra matter-of-factly.

‘We’re not leaving.’ Nathan surprised her. ‘He’s here.’

‘Who?’

‘The owner. He’s turned up unexpectedly.’

‘The French guy?’ Son of the folly man? Given the old dude hadn’t lived to see the chateau finished, she guessed the son to be in his late forties or fifties.

Nathan nodded vehemently. ‘We have to do whatever it takes to convince him this is the place.’

Ellie didn’t want to stay here a moment longer than necessary, not when she had that other guest to avoid. Besides, securing permission to film onsite wasn’t usually a problem. Business owners were thrilled to get the exposure. Plus they were well compensated. Although this place was in a class of its own. The elite of the elite retreated here where every luxury was on tap—and the key was its privacy. ‘What’s your plan?’

Nathan was frowning at her outfit. ‘I thought you might toy with the man or something?’

‘Pardon?’ Ellie asked, certain she’d heard wrong.

‘You know, charm him.’ He was still frowning at her outfit. ‘Flirt him round your finger.’

Ellie blinked as the real Nathan was revealed. Yeah, now the smooth had been removed—she realised that was what he did. Oozed charm to get what he wanted. All those compliments and the coy flirting he’d done with her? What had he really been after? Clearly not sex. She’d known the industry she worked in was all about the illusion—but this was killing the dream too much for her. ‘We might work for film-makers, but the casting couch doesn’t happen when it comes to locations.’

Lying back in bed—still recovering from his interrupted sleep—Ruben was glad for the open window and the way words spoken in the courtyard were carried up to his ears. The conversation going on down there was supremely interesting.

‘He’s French, isn’t he? Frenchmen love an elegant woman. Not sure they like jeans.’

‘Actually denim was originally created in France,’ Ellie—Ruben liked her name—snapped back at the Nathan prat.

‘Well, don’t you have anything sexier? What about a skirt or something?’

‘I don’t think skin is going to get us far. He’s probably married.’

Ruben bit back a chuckle at that suggestion.

‘Can’t you make the effort? This is a major deal—you know that, don’t you?’

‘I’m not going to prostitute myself just to land a contract, Nathan. That’s not the way I operate.’

‘You know this industry is all about image,’ Nathan lectured her. ‘I wanted you here because you’re so boringly together with paperwork, but you have to step up to the plate when the heat is on.’ Nathan began with the clichéd metaphors. ‘You need the killer instinct. You do whatever it takes to impress him.’

Ruben couldn’t believe she’d wanted to get it on with this idiot. What had she been thinking?

‘You might flirt your way into getting what you want, but that’s not what I’m about,’ Ellie answered back.

Go, the spitfire.

‘Don’t you want to win?’ the doofus asked.

‘Not at that price,’ she answered smartly.

No, he’d known she wasn’t ruthless or cynical. Ruben frowned at the hint of real hurt in her tone. Had she really had feelings for the jerk?

‘Fingers crossed the guy is gay, Nathan, so you can be the one to flash the skin.’

Ruben got out of bed and walked into his bathroom. He couldn’t wait to get down there. But by the time he did, she was alone, the only sign of any lingering annoyance the light flush on her cheeks. A flush that deepened when she saw him.

‘Good morning,’ he said to her for the second time that day.

‘Oh.’ She looked startled he’d spoken, as if she’d thought he was a mirage or something. ‘Hello.’

Ms Cautious herself.

‘You never mentioned your plans this morning.’ He walked to the table that was laden with breakfast options. ‘It’s a beautiful place—are you going to explore it some more?’

She shook her head and looked everywhere but at him. ‘I’m here to work.’

‘But you don’t much like your work. You’re supposed to come here to relax and escape. Have you hunted out the spa facilities yet?’

Her flush deepened again. ‘I don’t have time for the spa. I really have to work and I really do need to get on with it so...’

‘Maybe you ought to have some breakfast first. You must be hungry after last night.’

He sat down at the table, aware of the frustrated look she directed at him. No, he wasn’t going to leave her alone. He bit into a croissant to hide his smile.

‘I think I’ll just have a coffee.’

He reached for the pot before she did, pouring a cup and handing it to her with deliberate care.

‘Thanks,’ she mumbled.

Ruben sent her a hot look. He didn’t like her reserve; he preferred the tease he’d seen up in his room. And he knew there was a bomb going off behind that frozen exterior.

‘Ruben Theroux!’ a guy called loudly, striding out from inside, a huge smile on his face. ‘Wonderful to see you.’

Ruben knew the difference between sycophantic and genuine warmth. This was a no-brainer. He glanced at Ellie—a total ‘what were you thinking?’ look. Then he turned back to Nathan.

‘I’m sorry, I’m not sure who you are,’ Ruben answered coolly, not bothering to stand, just looking up from the table.

But clearly Nathan had done his homework—unlike his sidekick.

‘I’m Nathan, I’m here with CineSpace. You know we’re interested in your fabulous property. It would be just perfect for—’

‘I’d like to finish my breakfast first,’ Ruben interrupted, blatantly dismissive. ‘Perhaps we can talk later?’

‘Oh.’ Nathan rallied in less than a second, his reply too collegial. ‘Of course.’

‘Why don’t you go down to the stables? I’ll be sure to find you there.’

Having sent the pain in the neck away, Ruben looked at the stop-sign-red face of his curvy midnight caller and felt that foreign tug in his chest again. To cover the awkward moment he went for the usual—tease. ‘So, what are you going to do next to impress me?’

Ellie forced back the faint feeling. The guy she’d slept with was the owner Nathan reckoned she had to ‘do anything to impress’—and he’d listened in to that conversation?

‘How else?’ Her temper flared. Did he think last night had been her attempt at the casting couch? ‘Look, I didn’t know who you were. It was a genuine—’

His laughter cut her off. ‘I know that, sweetheart. I got in really late, no one knew until this morning that I was here. I know you weren’t trying to convince me to say yes in time-honoured fashion.’

She still didn’t believe he was the owner. ‘You’re supposed to be French.’

‘I’m half French but I’ve lived in New Zealand since I was six.’

‘You’re not old enough to own this place.’ He looked late twenties. Dressed in jeans and a tee he looked more like the gardener than the owner. But that fitting-too-good tee shirt had ‘Lucky’ emblazoned across his chest and Ellie already knew the guy got lucky—every, single, time.

‘My father was an old man when I was born.’

And he’d had a folly of a marriage? To a much younger woman? Ellie decided to skip that can of worms—she had a huge enough one open already. ‘You told me you were a guest.’

‘You assumed that. I did try to explain who I was but you were too busy apologising to listen.’

‘I’m not going to apologise any more,’ she said defiantly. ‘You should have told me. You should have stopped me making a fool of myself twice over.’

He stood and walked around to her side of the table. ‘You never made a fool of yourself with me.’

She stood, speaking through a clamped jaw. ‘Mr Theroux.’

He stepped closer. ‘You can’t be serious.’ His voice dropped to an intimate whisper.

‘Actually I am,’ she declared firmly, shoring up her quivering response. ‘You know it’s inappropriate for us to talk further. You need to talk to—’

‘Nathan.’

‘That’s right.’ She inhaled—bad idea because she caught that deliciously spicy soapy scent.

‘I don’t want to deal with Nathan. I want to deal with you.’

Now she knew what menopause was going to feel like: the hot flash stunned her. ‘You can’t.’ She snuck a breath. ‘It would be unprofessional. Nathan will work on it alone.’

‘There’s nothing to work on.’ He shrugged.

‘Are you saying that because I’m leaving, you’re not interested in negotiating?’ she asked even more breathlessly. ‘Are you trying to blackmail me?’

He hesitated. ‘I’m open to negotiations. But I would prefer to talk with you.’

‘But if I’m not available will you still be open?’

He grinned. ‘I’m a businessman, not an idiot. I know there are benefits to be had from this place being used as a location. Not for just any movie, of course.’

She gazed at him through narrowed eyes. Not sure she could believe him.

‘I enjoyed every second with you in my bed, but I’m not slimeball enough to use our fling in my business decisions,’ he said quietly but firmly. ‘Just as you’re not slutty enough to think sleeping with me could make me change my mind, right?’

‘Right,’ she said. ‘But the fact is we don’t know each other very well.’

‘And as far as you’re concerned we’re not going to get to know each other any better.’

‘I think that’s best, don’t you?’

‘Not at all,’ he answered bluntly. ‘But unlike your colleague I’m gentleman enough to respect your wishes. I’m not into harassing people.’

Just how much of that conversation with Nathan had he overheard?

‘I’m capable of keeping my business and my personal life separate,’ he continued easily. ‘It won’t make any difference.’

Well, he was more capable of that than she was—she couldn’t think straight with the guy around.

‘Truth is I’m in the midst of a new deal to take on two new boutique hotels so a cash injection plus publicity could be useful. That’s why I’m more open to film negotiations now than I was a couple of months ago.’

‘Well, you’ll need to talk to Nathan. I no longer work for the location company.’

Utterly silent, he stared—his brown eyes shifting to black and hard in a whisker of a second. ‘You got the sack?’

Ellie shivered in the face of iced fury. The ultimate in easy-going humour had a frozen fiery depth she hadn’t anticipated. Ruben Theroux wasn’t someone to make angry. And now she knew he hadn’t listened in to the whole conversation she’d had with Nathan.

‘Nathan didn’t have the authority to sack me. I resigned,’ she said, lifting her chin. ‘With immediate effect.’

His jaw dropped. ‘Why?’ Now he looked even more angry. ‘You’re just going to quit and run from some silly little mess?’

It wasn’t a silly little mess. It wasn’t anything to do with Ruben. She’d seen the light. She’d been taken on by that company to keep the paperwork tidy and to flooze where necessary. She might be a complete pleaser but that was taking it too far.

He glanced down at her clothes—and, no, her jeans weren’t designer like his. Hers had frayed at the edges from use, not been bought that way.

‘What are you going to do?’

Pride surged. ‘I’m not so stupid to throw in a job without having something else lined up. It’s all sorted already. I start next week.’

‘Doing what?’

She didn’t want to tell him the finer details—not that she was embarrassed, more that she sensed it would be safer to keep him distanced. He was in her ‘past’ already. ‘Same industry, different job.’

‘You’ve got a part in a film, then?’ He suddenly grinned. ‘Lead role?’

‘No.’ She bit back an answering smile. ‘I’m not a wannabe actress.’

‘But you have leading-lady looks.’

She vehemently shook her head. ‘Please not the flirting again.’

‘It’s impossible not to,’ he murmured. ‘Come on, tell me.’

She shook her head. ‘Not acting.’

‘That’s really not a fantasy?’ he scoffed. ‘Any woman who works in the industry has that fantasy.’

‘Well, I don’t. I can’t think of anything worse than being judged harshly on a giant screen.’

He gave her a sideways look. ‘Well, you got your new job organised pretty quick.’

‘She’s been after me for some time.’ It was true. She’d only had to send a text asking Bridie if she was still keen and the emphatic ‘yes, start Monday’ had been received less than a minute later. ‘I’ve been mulling it a while.’

Fact was she was tired of trying to please everyone—and of not progressing.

Ruben Theroux still looked troubled. Ellie’s pride bit deeper. ‘Don’t think that my decision has anything to do with what happened with you.’

‘It doesn’t?’

‘I’ve been thinking of a change for months.’

‘You’re not letting that Nathan drive you out, are you?’ he asked carefully. ‘Because he’s not worth it. Trust me, no relationship is worth killing your career for.’

‘You know this from personal experience?’ she asked, happy to get the focus on him for a change.

‘Possibly.’ He shrugged. ‘Just don’t let anyone get in the way of what you want to achieve.’

‘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.’

CHAPTER FOUR

‘AND now, people, the moment you have been waiting for!’ Despite the pelting rain, Ellie smiled, hugely enjoying the moment as she stepped aside to let them enter the cave—scene of the villain’s final destruction.

The crowd cheered and walked in, a cacophony of excitement.

Four and a half unnaturally long weeks had passed. But the days were getting quicker—sure they were. Being super busy at work helped. She’d progressed from the day and overnight tours, to the longer three to seven nights. This was good, because being responsible for the well-being of up to a dozen people twenty-four hours a day meant she had little time to dwell on what might have happened had she not gunned the car and gone from zero to ninety in less than three seconds.

‘OMG this is amazing!’

‘I can’t believe I’m actually here.’

‘Xaynethe—at last!’

Ellie grinned as she took photos, photos and, oh, yes, more photos for the tourists as they posed outrageously in front of the mother of all rocks that had been used in the penultimate scene of the mock-Greek-myth movie franchise.

Yeah, she too was the kind of girl who’d want to dance in the Sound of Music summerhouse if she ever got to Salzburg. She’d go to Tiffany’s and eat breakfast with her nose pressed to the window pane...so she totally got where her attendees were coming from. And she wanted them to have that experience of their lifetimes, for it to be worth the massive journeys they’d taken. They were die-hard fans, and die-hard fans did not like to be disappointed.

‘Okay, random dialogue time—spot prize to the person who answers this.’ She broke into a speech, one of the less famous quotes that eventually led into one of the film’s greatest scenes.

One guy stepped up immediately, answering her bit-part player’s throwaway comment with the hero’s ‘impassioned plea’. She continued the scene—taking another character’s part, wanting to see how far he’d go and whether he could achieve UFS—Ultimate Fan Status. She set the bar super high so not many did, but she had a good feeling about this guy.

As she’d suspected, her tour ‘hero’ kept the exchange up for the entire scene—and when it ended, the rest of the group clapped and whistled. Laughing, Ellie took his hand and guided him to take a bow. Yeah, it really was the best job ever.

She checked her watch to ensure they weren’t getting behind schedule. The movie re-enactment had gone on longer than she’d expected when he’d made it to UFS. ‘Okay, everyone, you’ve got another fifteen here. I’ll be at the bus finding Kenny’s prize.’

Back outside the rain had eased—slightly. She bent her head, getting ready for the dash across the car park.

‘You can’t tell me you don’t want to be an actress.’ A drawl, right in her ear. ‘Diva.’

She jumped, dropping her clipboard as she clutched her chest—stopping her heart from literally leaping out of it.

‘Ruben,’ she puffed as she turned. ‘You’re here because...?’

He handed her the clipboard he’d already retrieved. ‘I was visiting the cave. Lucky coincidence, huh?’

Ellie wasn’t convinced—not when his eyes twinkled like that.

‘You’re amazing,’ he continued, ignoring her astounded snuffle. ‘You have them eating out of your hand. They’re loving it. Even in the sodding rain they’re loving it.’

He’d been watching them in there? Oh, that wasn’t embarrassing at all.

‘It’s not me.’ She rushed to snuff that burn in his eyes—and douse the roaring inferno that had combusted in her belly at the mere sight of him. ‘It’s because they’re such fans of the film. Doesn’t matter what I do, they’re still going to be blown away by being here.’

He shook his head. ‘No, you do everything for them and more. No small hassle too much trouble. Your patience with the camera posing is phenomenal.’

He’d been watching a while, then? She giggled—and immediately cringed at her girlishness. ‘I’m gritting my teeth over some of it. There are always one or two more difficult clients.’

‘And one or two desperate to get into your pants.’

‘Oh, that’s not true.’ But she blushed.

‘That guy Kenny was all over you.’

‘He was acting the part.’ And she hadn’t let him end that scene with the kiss that had happened in the movie.

‘No, you’re his leading lady now,’ Ruben teased, stepping nearer. ‘He’s over his comic-book-heroine crush and fixed on someone real for the first time in his life.’

‘He’s just being friendly.’

‘He’s just being unsubtle.’

‘And you’re not?’ She raised her brows at the way he’d moved in on her while speaking.

‘Naturally I’m being as unsubtle as possible to let him and the rest of them know that you’re not available.’

She glanced over his shoulder, panicking that some of her charges might come out of the cave and see her standing unprofessionally close to a random stranger. ‘But I’m not available for you either.’ A breathless rush of determined denial.

‘I’m conveniently forgetting that for this moment.’

Hadn’t she known he’d be difficult to handle? Totally the kind to tumble a girl to her back, and have her breathless and delighted before she’d so much as blinked. ‘This isn’t a good time,’ she began.

‘It’s a perfect time. You have fifteen minutes before you have to round them back up on the bus.’ He took her hand and led her across the car park, to the shelter of the trees on the far side. Out of anyone’s view. ‘Fifteen minutes...’

‘Ruben...’ Oh, this was not a good idea, but her heart was skipping and her limbs already sliding towards that warm, supple state. She inhaled deeply and valiantly strove for sanity. She was at work.

‘Have you got any idea how gorgeous you look?’ He sounded as if he wanted to eat her.

She needed to get a grip on both of them. ‘I think you need to get to an optometrist—your vision appears to have gone soft-focus.’

He chuckled. ‘Oh, no, I’m seeing very, very clearly. In fact, I’ve got X-ray vision. I can see the lacy knickers even now.’ He sighed. ‘Lacy knickers under denim jeans.’

She couldn’t help smile back at the sound of his laughter and the sight of his gorgeous—outrageous—face. So enticing. And exciting. Yeah, the rough denim was working its thing on her sensitive bits right about now.

‘They are lacy, right?’ he muttered in her ear as he swept her into his arms.

‘What are you doing?’

‘What do you think?’ He laughed. ‘I’ve wanted another kiss for weeks.’

She shook her head as she gazed up at him. She couldn’t be so reckless again—certainly not now. ‘You can’t kiss me, you’ll kill my lipstick.’

‘It’s alive?’ One eyebrow up.

‘It’s neat and tidy and I don’t want it all over my chin. I have to look good for them.’

His eyes narrowed. ‘You look more than good. That Scottish sci-fi geek couldn’t take his eyes off you.’

‘It’s the collectors’ edition tee shirt—he wants it.’

‘He wants what’s in it. But he can’t have it. I want it more.’ His hands ran down her sides and it was all she could do not to melt into him.

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