Vibrant, passionate, infinitely lovely Evie.
She’d been a bit prickly for the last few days, very much the professional PA, but he could understand why. The altercation with Neil the other day had left him wary, too; had brought home the fact that he’d have to be careful to keep his feelings to himself.
As he watched, she stood up, demonstrating something for Cam with sweeping gestures that emphasised her coltish limbs and her height. A height that made her self-conscious, if the one-shoulder droop so characteristic of her was anything to go by. He liked her being tall; no need to constantly bend his head to look into her face.
She and Chrissy were so very different. Evie wore no makeup, her dark hair was pulled back from her face in a tight ponytail, and the oversize T-shirt and rolled-up jeans she wore were positively nun-like compared to the barely-there bikini Chrissy had paraded around in all day. The biggest contrast, though, was that Evie was totally unaware of her allure, while Chrissy played on hers.
‘Come and get it.’ Chrissy’s call cut through his thoughts.
Closely followed by Cam with camera hoisted, Adam made his way over to where she sat at the small, in-built table. A sumptuous seafood feast was laid out on it. King prawns, baby squid, oysters, fresh-caught bream; he breathed in the aroma of his favourite food.
‘This looks sensational. Are you as hungry as I am?’ he asked.
‘Starving.’
He did his best to ignore the innuendo in her tone and the intent look she threw him, and set about piling up a plate.
‘Here you go.’ Chrissy leaned towards him holding a large peeled prawn in her fingers.
She edged it towards his mouth then slid it inside, leaving one finger between his lips. They closed around the prawn and she withdrew her finger. Slowly.
‘Uh, thanks,’ he managed, in between chewing.
‘My pleasure.’ Her bright-blue eyes strayed over him. ‘Any time.’ Then, giggling flirtatiously, she held an oyster above her mouth, dropped it in and licked her own lips, slowly and sensuously.
‘Cut!’ said Cam. ‘I need that shot from this angle.’ He moved the camera closer. ‘Can you do it again?’
‘Sure.’ Chrissy tossed back her mane of blonde hair and repeated the action, loving every minute of the attention.
Adam caught Evie’s eyes as she rolled them, and almost laughed aloud. He felt like doing the same thing, although for a different reason. Unlike Evie, he had no objection to Chrissy overtly playing up to the camera; it took the heat off him. What he was still struggling with was Cam’s insistence on constantly retaking scenes. It seemed so fake.
Without acknowledging him, Evie’s gaze returned to the laptop screen in front of her. Geez, she really was in full-on business mode today.
Dinner proceeded, with several more interruptions from Cam, but pleasantly enough. By the time they’d finished eating, the sun was sinking below the horizon, streaking the sky with dark pink and violet, and bathing the sea around them in a blaze of red.
‘That’s it,’ said Cam. ‘That’s the money shot. Come on you two, make the most of it.’
Without hesitation, Chrissy stood and pulled him to his feet, stretched up on her toes, threw her arms around him and kissed him. Full on the mouth. Latched on with no intention of letting go.
* * *
When Chrissy latched onto Adam’s mouth like a pit bull, Evie’s first instinct was to grab that perfect bikini bod by those perfectly tanned shoulders and give it a bloody good shake. Instead, she sat on her hands on the white fibreglass bench, forcing herself not to intervene. She’d given up any right she may have had to do that when she’d made her promise to Neil. It didn’t mean she had to like it, though.
The face-sucking went on for an age before Adam’s hands came up to take Chrissy’s shoulders. ‘Aah, I was not expecting that.’ He held her slightly away from him.
‘I’m sorry, Adam. I couldn’t help myself. This yacht. The dinner. The sunset. You.’ Somehow she squeezed a note of hurt into her voice, holding his gaze with her big, blue, fake-innocent eyes.
Evie’s gag reflex did its bit again.
‘It’s okay,’ Adam hastily assured Chrissy.
‘Can we set that up again over here?’ interrupted Cam, pointing to the other side of the deck.
‘No, I—’
‘I don’t—’
‘Sure thing.’
Evie, Adam and Chrissy all spoke at once.
Doing her best to suppress the ache inside, Evie continued. ‘I think the spontaneity of that was perfect, Cam. We don’t want to make a debacle of the first kiss, do we?’ He shrugged agreement.
She forced a smile. ‘It was your first real kiss, right?’ She was showing way more curiosity than she intended.
‘Yep.’ Adam’s response was immediate.
‘The first of many, I hope.’ Chrissy looked directly at her when she spoke.
Evie took in all the information the slow smile delivered. Victory was easy to read. She groaned inwardly, straining against a wild urge to slap the woman’s smug face. Did she have to be so flagrantly, so outrageously, predatory? Today had been a barrage of Chrissy’s efforts to come on to Adam: hanging on his every word, endless excuses to have him touch her. Her little moans of pleasure when he rubbed the sunscreen onto her body, as she’d almost had to demand he do, had set Evie’s insides roiling.
It wasn’t jealousy. She’d definitely reconciled to the fact there was no possible future for herself and Adam. And she should be over the moon that Chrissy and Adam were the ideal couple for Perfect Mate. A match made in heaven. Both photogenic, both mesmerising to watch on the small screen. The show was destined for success.
It was just that something was ringing alarm bells. The twisting torment inside came from the unshakable feeling that Chrissy was not who she appeared to be.
Did she have a responsibility to let Adam in on her fears? Apart from telling him outright that Chrissy was a fraud, what else could she do? But then, she couldn’t risk being that blatant; she had no actual proof the woman was manipulating them all. Nor could she go back on her word to Neil. Which raised another question: just how skewed had her values become that she could let someone she cared about be treated with such contempt?
A sickening impotence held her in its grip. What should she do?
Then Adam flashed her a befuddled look, as if to say, ‘I’m not sure I can handle this’. It was so boyish, so disarming—so typically him—that she just wanted to hug him.
And with that, her mind was made up.
‘Adam, can I see you over here for a moment?’
She lifted her laptop to indicate it had something to do with what she was working on. He was beside her in an instant.
‘Just checking on the time Cam and I should come back tomorrow,’ she said, fudging for a lead into what really needed to be said.
‘How does four-thirty grab you?’
She peered at him over the top of her sunglasses in disbelief. ‘In the morning?’
He threw her a wink. ‘Tomorrow afternoon.’
She wasn’t in the mood for banter. ‘Don’t make me go over every reason why that’s not going to happen.’
‘Hey, I’m kidding.’ He was immediately apologetic. ‘You’ve got your job to do and I respect that. I know how important it is to you.’
She lowered her eyes to the laptop screen, not wanting him to glimpse the self-reproach she was certain would be there. He respected her; if only she could respect herself. When she felt sure the giveaway look in her eyes had gone, she glanced up.
Her gaze swept over him. He looked unfairly, devastatingly, gorgeous. The dark thickness of his tousled black hair formed a perfect frame for his darkly handsome features. The sensual mouth, the fine-boned nose, the intelligent brown eyes that held so many secrets. He was an intensely physical man, broad-shouldered, imposing, with a natural wide-legged stance that radiated authority. The black rash vest he wore clearly outlined every inch of his tautly mus
cled torso.
Not for the first time, she wondered what it would be like to have that powerful body beneath her fingers. The thought set her heart thudding nineteen to the dozen, and started a tingling between her thighs. The reaction both exhilarated and unnerved her, and was immediately followed by a wave of guilt.
No, no, no! The alarming feeling pulsing through her was not supposed to be happening. She had to put a stop to it. Now!
Abandoning the laptop, she stood, hoping her height might add an air of confidence she didn’t feel to what she was about to say. ‘Adam, I … I’m not sure how to put this but I … see, I …’ It wasn’t easy being so close to him, breathing in his spicy scent, feeling this confused mixture of sheer helplessness, fear she might not be doing the right thing, and—she hated to admit it—plain, unadulterated desire.
‘Spit it out,’ he said, his eyes the deepest of browns, and fixed on her.
She drew in a deep breath, the solidity of the moulded seating against her legs helping to steady her. ‘I shouldn’t be saying this, but as a … friend, I’m concerned you may be getting in over your head. Please, just take care.’
He took the warning without blinking, studying her face silently in the deepening twilight, as if trying to make sense of the words. A long moment passed with agonising slowness before he finally spoke.
‘What are you actually saying? That you don’t believe someone like Chrissy could be interested in someone like me?’
Evie spread her hands, helpless to answer. ‘I—I don’t know what to say to that. I only know there’s something not quite right going on. I can’t explain it any better than that.’ She kept her voice low, with one eye on Chrissy. The woman stood on the further side of the deck, hand on her hip, shooting barbed stares their way until Cam ushered her below.
‘So, as a friend, you’re advising me not to get too caught up with a beautiful girl who shares my values and my interests. And you can’t tell me why. Some friend.’
When he put it like that she realised how crazy it sounded. She swallowed hard, digging for the strength to be honest with him. ‘I don’t believe her feelings for you are genuine. I think she’s using y—’
‘Not genuine?’
He stood silent for several seconds, his expression unreadable in the darkening light. Then he looked directly at her, the weight of judgement in his eyes. ‘Why’s that, d’you suppose? Because I’m not a city suit, just a farmer? Maybe my background isn’t the right pedigree? Or because I don’t mix, or even fit, in the right social circles?’
Obviously she’d prodded an open wound. ‘I don’t pretend to know wh—’
‘But they’re possible reasons, right?’ he butted in again. ‘Reasons why anyone—’ he halted, staring fiercely at her, ‘—any girl—would prefer not to get involved with someone like me.’ Slowly he shook his head. ‘I get it. I do. I understand not being considered good enough. But not by you. Not you.’ His deep voice cracked with hurt.
Evie felt an ocean of misunderstanding swell between them. All she was trying to do was make him see that Chrissy wasn’t what she appeared, and all Adam seemed able to focus on was some clearly ridiculous supposed inadequacies he saw in himself. And to top it off, he was blaming her for the whole thing.
Impulsively she lifted a hand to touch his face but he turned his head away. ‘Don’t.’
‘Adam, listen to me. I don’t know where all that came from but it’s irrelevant. The key point here is that you need to be wary of everyone’s motives.’
‘Including yours?’ he demanded, turning back to her.
‘Except mine.’ It was difficult keeping her voice as firmly indignant as she needed it, to convince him of her sincerity. ‘I … like you. I respect you. I can’t just sit back and watch you being taken advantage of.’
‘By Chrissy?’
‘No, not just her.’
‘Then who else? There’s not exactly a cast of thousands here.’
She should tell him the truth. Tell him that he was being played by Neil and the program’s producers, including her own father, back in Perth. Tell him that he was no more than a product to them. Tell him that Chrissy’s desire for her fifteen minutes of fame clearly outweighed any feelings she might have for him.
But if she did that, staying here and working on the program would be untenable. If Perfect Mate even went ahead at all.
This was turning into a disaster. Not only had she said far more to Adam than she should have, but she’d also begun to realise that she was as worried for what might happen to him as she was concerned about herself and her job. Confused by her conflicting loyalties, she had no idea what to do now.
Something suddenly snapped inside her. She turned to walk away. ‘I can’t do this anymore.’ She had to leave before she admitted to something she knew she’d regret.
His strong fingers reached out to catch her arm as she shouldered her way past. The contact scorched and she gasped.
‘Don’t walk away,’ he breathed against her ear, sending tingles through her entire body. ‘Tell me what you really want to say.’
‘Hey, Evie. Ready to go?’ Cam emerged from below, Chrissy hot on his heels.
Evie stared at the hand on her arm, afraid to look up at Adam’s face. ‘Sure thing,’ she called back.
He dropped his hand.
‘Enjoy your night,’ she said, still refusing to look up. The sentiment was as false as her tone.
‘I’ll do my best.’
* * *
Tossing and turning in the confines of the tent onshore, Evie was haunted by Adam’s words. The tormenting images her mind insisted on conjuring up had her lips twisting in misery and her throat aching with unshed tears.
Turned out she was jealous after all, and now she was fighting a losing battle with her feelings—a melee of powerful emotions that swelled inside, refusing to lie still or go away. The talons of jealousy had a long reach and the grip they had on her heart was nothing short of torture.
Strangling a sob in case she woke Cam, who was lightly snoring in the sleeping bag next to her, she thumped at her pillow, the futile quest for sleep taking its toll on her fragile control.
It didn’t matter that she and Adam had only known each other two weeks, she felt she’d known him so much longer. Through the course of their daily interviews she’d learned a lot about him, discovered so many wonderful qualities. He was funny and kind, intelligent and thoughtful, and she’d come to really care for him as a person, not simply as good-looking fodder to feed the insatiable television audience.
The thought of him out there on the yacht at Chrissy’s mercy had her in a spin. Even if it meant she’d committed professional suicide in confiding her beliefs about the woman to him, it wasn’t as if she’d had a choice. Chrissy was a classic manipulator and Adam had no knowledge of what he was dealing with.
She’d had to warn him. Had to.
The fact that her rash actions in doing so negated everything she’d tried so hard to change about herself over the last year was a worry. Hadn’t she learned her lesson with Nick, that impulsive behaviour led to long-term regret? It was because of that lesson she’d found herself here in the first place, thanks to Neil’s intervention.
Too many thoughts were assaulting her brain. It was two o’clock in the morning and she was lying here, unable to sleep, with no way of knowing whether Adam had even taken note of her warning. Not that her censure of Chrissy made any difference to their personal circumstances anyway.
Adam was still off-limits and nothing could change that.
Tears spilled over and down her cheeks. The agonising sense of loss over something she had never had in the first place threatened to overwhelm her.
She had no business falling in love with him.
Evie sat bolt upright in the sleeping bag. Was that what was happening here? Was she falling in love? She shook her head. Of course she wasn’t. She couldn’t be that stupid. What sort of idiot fell in love with someone after just a couple of w
eeks? That stuff only happened in TV soaps.
She cared about him, yes. And she was definitely attracted to him—the astonishing intensity of the body tingles whenever he was near was testament to that. But how could it be love? There was so much she didn’t know about him.
She shook her head again. No, no, no!
But the litany of denials couldn’t refute the inescapable reality.
She loved Adam.
Closing her eyes against the acknowledgement, she lay back down. How could she have allowed him to complicate things this way? To turn her well-ordered life into total chaos? Things had been so much simpler before they met. And adding to the complications was the absolute futility of having these feelings for him.
The whole situation was too hard, too dispiriting to think about. She pulled the pillow over her head.
‘Wake up, sleepyhead. Time to rise and shine. Let’s go see how the happy couple are this morning.’
Cam’s voice woke her with a start. Surely she’d only just fallen asleep?
‘Go away,’ she grumbled, eyes tightly closed and refusing the command to open.
‘Who’s a little ray of sunshine, then?’
‘Haven’t you heard? Sunshine’s overrated.’
She could hear him pulling at the tent flap, felt the glare of daylight penetrating her eyelids.
‘Uh oh.’
‘Uh oh, what?’ she groaned.
‘The yacht’s gone.’
She scrambled from the sleeping bag. ‘Dammit!’
Cam let the flap go. ‘Neil’s gonna kill us.’
CHAPTER
16
March 25
Transcript: Interview with Christine Wright
Location: Yacht (on deck)
(Start interview)
Evie: Okay, let’s begin with last night. How was it after we left?
Chrissy: (Coy) I don’t know that I can tell you everything, but it was (gushy) fantastic. And sailing along the coast today was heaven on a stick. You should have been there.
The Farmer's Perfect Match Page 16
