Free Playing the Playboy's Sweetheart by Carol Marinelli Page A

picnic basket and headed to the beach, and there was no choice but to briefly hold hands as he helped her down the steep cliff path, slippery from the rain, and to their oasis.
    The beach was practically empty, a huge stretch of sand, and the most magnificent sunset was theirs to enjoy.
    Yes, it was very difficult to sulk with a mouthful of lemon curd and Hugh making her laugh as they took another photo of the two of them.
    ‘Ooh, that’s a good one,’ Emily said, taking his phone and looking at Hugh in the image before herself.
    ‘Very good,’ Hugh said, looking at the image of Emily instead of himself.
    ‘Send it to my phone and I’ll post it.’
    ‘Why don’t I just put it up?’ Hugh asked.
    ‘Our relationship’s starting to look a little one-sided in cyberland.’
    ‘It’s pretty one-sided in real life,’ Hugh said, but without a trace of bitterness. In fact, he was smiling as he sent the image to her phone and then looked her straight in the eye. ‘Or is it?’
    Emily didn’t appreciate the question—the lust between them was as relentless as the waves and she left his question unanswered as they headed back up the cliff. Hugh, at eye level with her bottom as they made their way up, resisted making a comment about the amazing view.
    In fact, he resisted full stop.
    The ball had been placed in Emily’s court.
    * * *
    Back in the cottage he stretched out on one of the sofas as Emily cracked the champagne. ‘God, it’s been so good to get away,’ Hugh admitted, as Emily lay on the sofa opposite. ‘And even better not to have to drive back.’ Hugh yawned. ‘I’ve had a shocking week at work. I’m worried about...’ He hesitated. His concerns about Gina must remain in his head, but for a second there he’d forgotten that they were pretending. So nice had the day been, he had completely forgotten that Emily didn’t actually want him there so there was no way he could tell her about his issues with Gina.
    ‘Worried about what?’ Emily pushed.
    ‘Just a patient who isn’t doing very well.’
    They could have gone to the pub but it was Emily’s holiday and all she wanted to do was lounge on the sofa and watch a film.
    Unfortunately, the only film that was on turned out to be incredibly sexy and, given that she had already declared there was no way she was watching sport, Emily and Hugh had to suffer their way through it.
    ‘Great choice, Emily,’ Hugh groaned during one very steamy scene.
    It was torture.
    And no less of a torture for Emily to lie in bed a little while later, knowing that he was across the hallway.
    Her sunburn
was
agony.
    At midnight all she wanted to do was cross the hall and fill the bathroom sink with cold water and drop her breasts into it, except Hugh’s bedroom was next to the bathroom and she had the wretched thought of sinking her breasts in his face.
    ‘’Night, Emily,’ he called out at one in the morning as she returned from getting a drink.
    ‘’Night, Hugh.’
    It had been an almost perfect day except for one thing. One thing between her legs that ached perhaps as much as his.
    If he made a move, if he called her again...
    Just sleep with him, Emily!
    But she was truly scared to now.
    Today had been amazing and a relationship with Hugh would be very different from the one she’d had with Marcus.
    She and Marcus had been more like friends, which was what she was with Hugh, but with Marcus her stomach hadn’t had a butterfly house in permanent residence in her stomach whenever he’d been around, and though she’d cared about Marcus she hadn’t cared in the dangerous sense.
    Emily closed her eyes in the hope sleep would arrive yet as she lay there she thought about the break-up with her ex—the so-called public shaming when he’d got off with Heidi.
    How could she explain that she’d actually been happy for him in the end, happy that Marcus had had the guts to go after the love of his life.
    Tears slid from closed eyes to the pillow as she acknowledged