CHAPTER NINE

      HE DIDN’T call for a couple of days, which was frankly a record. And the next time he did, she knew there was something they needed to get in the open if this was ever going to work out. She darted to the nearest bathroom for some privacy to talk to him, staring at her pale, sleep-lacking skin in the mirror.

      ‘You know that if...if you meet up with someone else, you don’t have to keep it secret from me. You can tell me. Okay?’ She held her breath.

      His answer was so long coming she’d nearly turned blue.

      ‘Okay,’ he said slowly. ‘Same for you.’

      ‘Of course.’ She breathed out painfully. As if she could meet anyone as gorgeous as him.

      ‘Have you met up with anyone else?’ he asked.

      ‘No. No.’

      ‘Nor have I.’

      She licked very dry lips. ‘I know you have needs, Ruben. I’m not going to be...bothered. We’re friends now.’ As much as she’d hate it, maybe it would be better if he did hook up elsewhere. Then the agony of waiting for that nightmare would be over.

      Again he took his time replying. ‘And you’ll tell me if you do?’

      She laughed. ‘I’m off the market for now. This job is taking up all my time. It’s what I want to focus on for the next while.’

      ‘What about your needs?’

      She hesitated, hadn’t meant for this conversation to be about her at all. ‘I haven’t got time to think about them.’

      ‘Maybe you should think about them or they might sneak up on you again.’

      She bit her lip, glad he couldn’t see how she’d now gone red in the face—how her blood was zinging all round her damn willing body. ‘That night in the chateau was a once only.’

      ‘Yeah, and I don’t think I’m ever going to forget it.’

      * * *

      It had been over three weeks since he’d last seen her and he’d thought he had it all under control. He’d been wrong on that.

      ‘Hey,’ he said as he got to her table—supposedly they were to have lunch. But it was crazy the way his pulse was pounding.

      Her smile couldn’t have been more rewarding. Her eyes glittering—deeper in colour than he remembered. She sparkled. And he had nothing under control. The less he saw of her, the more he thought of her. It wasn’t supposed to be that way at all. Wasn’t the maxim ‘out of sight, out of mind’? But she was more than in his mind, she was in his body and in what little soul he had.

      She was wearing jeans—heaven help him—with a white blouse and as she looked up at him he could see the lace edge of her bra. He’d become that much of a randy schoolboy he was reduced to sneaking glimpses down her shirt. It took only a second to decide to put the full plan into action. He’d suffered enough. And so too had she. He noted the flare in her eyes, the colour in her cheeks deepen, and, yes, he noticed the way her breasts responded to his less than subtle appreciation of them.

      So he didn’t sit down. Instead he extended his hand to pull her out of her seat. ‘I’ve got a surprise for you.’

      ‘What is it?’ A flutter of caution cooled Ellie’s pleasure at seeing him again because he didn’t look that excited, if anything he looked more serious than she’d ever seen him. The edges of his beautiful mouth were held firm, not forming their natural curve up.

      ‘There was a vital part of the station that you didn’t get to see.’

      ‘The station?’ He was half dragging her out of the café and into his convertible. ‘We’re not going to the station.’

      ‘Plane leaves in thirty, we’ve got just enough time to make it.’

      ‘Ruben, we’re only having lunch. I can’t just go from work—’

      ‘It’s all arranged with Bridie. She’s taking the tour this afternoon.’

      ‘What?’

      ‘You’ve worked too many days in a row anyway. You have to have a break some time.’

      Ellie gazed at him. She was sure there was more to this, but he wasn’t offering any deeper explanation this second.

      It was less than an hour’s flight from Wellington to Queenstown and he spent most of it typing into his phone. Not to be outdone Ellie read the inflight mag cover to cover. Once on the ground they didn’t get into a car; instead he led her across the airfield to a helicopter.

      ‘Ruben, I don’t have any spare clothes with me.’ She finally broke the silence.

      He turned and looked at her—the old, utterly outrageous Ruben with that wicked smile and knowing expression. ‘Sweetheart, you’re not going to need any.’

      With a stumble Ellie all but slithered into the helicopter. What had happened? There was no mistaking his intention now. Where on earth was he taking her?

      The tragic thing was, she didn’t much care. She was too excited to be back in his company and to know the spark was still as strong for him as it was for her. Hell, if anything it was worse. And this was him fighting for what he wanted.

      Neither spoke while he flipped switches and made the rotor blades whirl. They still weren’t loud enough to drown the din of her pulse in her ears.

      She’d been in a helicopter before but not one as light as this or as plush inside. They zoomed, over the plains, heading further south, the mountains to their right. Then he pointed out the lodge so she got her bearings. He flew super low to follow the river in the valley, then up high, so close to the mountains, a breath away from the splash of a towering waterfall...

      But she sat completely still in her seat. Her pulse slammed, her thoughts disordered—anticipation screwing with her head. They flew over one mountain, deeper into the range and there, hidden from possible view from anywhere other than the air, was an alpine lake. One of those that belonged in ancient myth and legend. Steely blue and still. He brought the helicopter down, landing on a small smooth edge.

      ‘Come on,’ he invited her.

      He’d been here many times before, she could tell, and she totally got why. It was the most amazing colour, reflecting the cold clarity of the sky. It really was the scene from some ancient mystical, alternate world story—just like the movies. Only real. Fantastically real.

      ‘It’s beautiful.’ It was so awe-inspiring she couldn’t think of any words to fully describe the reaction within her.