Summer Beach Reads. Natalie Anderson

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.

      Heaven help her, she was being turned on by macho possessive talk. ‘I’m not an “it” and I’m at work.’

      He nodded slowly and took a step back, his hands a feathering motion over her stomach as he stepped away. Too intimate and yet not enough. Damn. Her body screamed go-ahead-get-on-me. She didn’t let that out; instead she strapped on a polite, finite, response. Because this guy would bring nothing but bad-boy trouble. ‘I’d better get back to the bus, but thanks for stopping to say hi. It was nice to see you.’

      His grin broadened, not seeming to take in her rebuff at all. ‘Likewise.’

      * * *

      Ruben felt ridiculously pleased with himself for having tracked her down. It had taken less than five minutes in an online search. He’d hatched a cunning plan within another five. So now phase one was complete. Yes, having seen the bloom on her cheeks and the sparkle zing in her eye, he knew phases two and three were going to go so smoothly. He had the green light. An outsize amount of relief surged at her unguarded response because he was desperately—stupidly—hot for her. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t ever had a one-night stand before. He’d indulged in many a night of mutual thrills and minimal complexity. Just a ‘hi’ and a recognition of heat—that chemistry that guaranteed each would get their physical kicks. Enjoyable. Ultimately forgettable.

      But Ellie Summers had not been forgettable. It wasn’t even the sex that he remembered most—although he was getting off on some seriously good slow-mo mental replays. It was her priceless reaction the next day—the earnest apologies and then the gorgeous giggles. Yeah, that brave ability to see the funny side and parry his shameless flirt with a tart, bald humour. And dignity. He hadn’t been sure if she was cut up by that Nathan guy or not. He suspected not, but he’d decided to give her space to lick her wounds anyway. And he’d expected his usual once-done, all-done attitude would kick in.

      It hadn’t. So that was why he was leaning against his car, not caring about the rain, watching her tour bus slowly move out of the cave’s car park.

      * * *

      At 9:00 a.m. the next day Ellie was in the office, wearing more make-up than usual to cover the effects of her lack of sleep due to an embarrassing amount of Ruben obsessing. But two minutes later, natural effervescence had brought a smile to her face. ‘I’m so pleased for you!’ she squealed at her beaming boss.

      ‘I’m pleased for me too! And I want to thank you so much.’

      ‘It has nothing to do with me.’ Ellie shook her head. The full-colour, double-page magazine spread featuring the popular movie-site tour company definitely had nothing to do with her given she’d only been on the payroll the last four weeks.

      ‘Oh, yes, it has,’ Bridie squealed back at her. ‘You’ve already got a name as the best guide evah—did you know that group of German lads set up a Facebook page as a tribute to the tour? Although the page is mainly about you—they put your picture all over it.’

      ‘They didn’t.’ Ellie gaped and embarrassment burned her skin from the inside out.

      ‘Uh-huh. It’s a brilliant piece of word-of-mouth marketing.’ Bridie tapped on her computer, bringing up the website. ‘Or pictures-of-tour-goddess marketing. Because as we know, a picture tells a thousand words. I put a link to it on our website as one of the testimonials, as well