The following afternoon, as the sun slanted lower in the sky, Camryn embarked on the final leg of her journey. A sedan ferried her from the airport to the small village of Engelberg, giving her plenty of opportunity to appreciate the impressive scenery. Houses nestled into the mountainsides as if they’d sprung up out of the ground, most sporting planters of bright flowers under the windows. Camryn couldn’t get over the charm and the beauty, and snapped picture after picture along the way.
Just as the sedan pulled up to a rather large chalet, the sun slipped behind the arch of the mountain. Camryn exited the vehicle, glad to be on her feet, and thanked the driver when he retrieved her suitcase from the trunk.
Examining the quaint brown-and-white facade of the home, with a riot of flowers decorating the exterior as well as the path to the door, Camryn nearly missed the masculine body tilted into a lean against the wall.
“What do you think?” Maximo asked.
Camryn snapped her attention to the superstar, and a smile immediately crossed her mouth. God, it was so good to see him again. She headed in his direction. “It’s beautiful here! And the weather is to die for.”
“It’s cooler and crisp in the evenings, which is nice,” he said, straightening. “Welcome to Engelberg.”
“Thank you. And thank you for the excellent first-class seating. I managed to sleep, which helped pass the time faster.” Forgetting herself, Camryn let go of her luggage and threw an arm around Maximo’s shoulders. She was excited to be here and excited to see her accommodations. The beautiful chalet looked promising.
Seemingly caught off guard, he grunted then rumbled a laugh and wrapped a strong arm around her in return. “You’re welcome. Here, let me get your luggage. We’ll be staying with a few other people. I hope you don’t mind. The chalet is plenty big enough.”
“No, I don’t mind at all. This place is beautiful. Is this where you’re filming?” Camryn was full of questions and curiosity. She released him and allowed Max to tend to her suitcase.
“No, but it’s not far. There’s a smaller but no less stunning chalet close by. That’s the set I’ll be taking you to in a few days.” He opened the door and held it while she stepped inside.
“Thank you,” she said. The interior of the chalet was as charming as the outside. High beams arched over an expansive living area and opened onto a large kitchen with miles of counter space and a center island flanked by no fewer than eight elegantly carved barstools. The alpine décor ranged from solid wood furniture to plush cushions of red, sage green, and cream. It appeared the perfect place for the elite to gather while conducting business or pleasure.
Camryn tried not to gawk.
“What do you think?” Maximo asked, closing the door.
“I think it’s stunning. Yet it’s also cozy and charming.” Cam swiveled a look up at the vaulted ceiling, then around the chalet as a whole. It seemed as if she’d been transported to a different world, one far removed from the bustle of Hollywood.
“We’ll have a little more freedom here. Security will be monitoring the road leading to the chalet and turning away any unwanted visitors,” Max said, as if he knew it was important to her.
“I have to say, that’s good news.” Camryn centered her attention on Maximo. He watched her in a way that blatantly said he knew about the Internet scandal involving the stolen pictures and her rebuttal to it. She decided to be up-front about everything, hoping to ease any awkwardness before it started. “By the way, I have to apologize about the photos. My roommate and I had no idea Denny would go so far as to steal them, much less post them online.”
Max regarded her steadily then acknowledged the explanation with a nod. “I didn’t think you’d stoop to selling the pictures to someone else, but it’s nice to hear it in person. Thanks for the clarification.”
“I’m sure Lenni told you, but I’m trying to make this process of interviews with celebrities easier and more pleasant for everyone involved. Don’t get me wrong,” Camryn said, grinning broadly, “I’m after the scandal, too, because as my roommate says, scandal sells. I just think it should be up to the celebrity to decide when they want to put their private life out there.”
Maximo laughed. “Scandal sure does sell. As you’ve no doubt discovered the last few days.”
Cam had the good grace to blush. “I don’t know how you do it. Seriously. It’s bad enough being on the other side of the process, behind the camera as it were, but it’s even more horrible being in the spotlight.”
Maximo led the way through the living area, past a large stone fireplace, and into a hallway. He looked over his shoulder, a lock of hair falling across his brow. “Which is why I avoid interviews as often as I can. It’s just not my favorite part of the business.”
“I’m intrigued, then, that you’d send for me. Especially after the debacle with the photos,” Camryn said. She followed him down the hall to the second door on the left. Beyond was a gorgeous room with a queen-sized bed, a small table, and two chairs near a sliding glass door, as well as a patio with a view of the Alps. Bright red flowers in long planters hung off the railing.
Maximo set her suitcase near a hand-carved dresser and leaned his shoulder against the wall. He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’d like to support what you’re trying to do. Not only that, Lenni said the article you wrote was one of the best she’d seen. So here’s what I’m proposing: we do a few interviews in the next few days, and you can release them when you see fit. I intend to break some big personal news, so I wouldn’t wait too long.”
Camryn swung her purse onto the bed then faced him. Big news? What kind of big news? Holy crap, he wasn’t engaged, was he? She rubbed her suddenly sweaty palms together. “Well, now I’m definitely intrigued. Can you tell me what it has to do—”
“No. I can’t.” He smiled and straightened from his lean. “Once we’re done with these interviews, you’ll be escorted to the set and allowed to take some pictures while we’re filming. The director has rules, but they’re not too intense. No photos that expose the entire set, no explicit details about what scenes you see or hear. He wants to keep his surprises secret.”
“That’s not a problem at all. I’m excited to visit the set. No one’s ever gotten pictures of you while you’re working.” Camryn couldn’t wait to be present while Max worked his magic. He had an undeniable presence on the big screen that was both compelling and enticing.
“No, they haven’t. Why don’t you unpack and meet me in the kitchen? If you’re not too jet-lagged, we can take a drink onto the upper balcony. The others staying here won’t arrive until tomorrow, including the director and my costar, Aubrey Parker. We’ll have plenty of peace and quiet.”
“That would be great. I could use a drink. Thanks, Max.” Camryn watched him retreat into the hallway, and wrinkled her nose once he was out of sight. Aubrey Parker had a reputation in Hollywood for being difficult to work with, a reputation carefully concealed from the general public. Camryn recalled hearing other journalists discuss her petulant, high-strung nature, yet she remained a sought-after Hollywood product. Aubrey’s silver screen appeal and sultry voice made her a favorite among men, which continued to win her big roles in blockbuster movies.
Camryn wasn’t especially looking forward to meeting her.
Setting aside those thoughts, she turned her attention to unpacking her luggage and wondered what kind of ‘big personal news’ Maximo had to deliver.
Sixteen
With two glasses of wine in his hands, Max guided Camryn up the main staircase to the second level. There was another communal sitting area that he bypassed on his way to the balcony doors, which he nudged open with a shoulder.
“Thanks,” Camryn said. She accepted her wineglass from him and paused just outside to take a deep breath of air.
Maximo regarded her while he sipped his wine and led the way to one of many tables spread out for guests. Like all the other furniture, the chairs and tables were hand-carved by local craftsmen and f
elt as sturdy as they looked. He sprawled out while Camryn curled a leg beneath her in the chair opposite him and got comfortable. Although the evening was crisp, it wasn’t cold enough to need a heavy jacket. Camryn wore a thin cardigan of baby blue over a thinner white T-shirt and a matching skirt, all of which went well with her darker coloring. Maximo couldn’t help but admire the picture she made with her wine cupped in both hands, hair casually twisted into a messy bun on her head.
He soon discovered the cardigan had another use: concealing a handheld recorder along with a small notepad and pen. Camryn set those on the table with a somewhat sheepish, just in case expression.
Rumbling a laugh, Max gestured to the recorder. “Were you hoping to get an interview out of the way tonight?”
“You can’t drop a bomb on me like that, about big news, and not expect me to be impatient.”
He laughed again at her candid reply. “I guess not. Shall we start, then?”
Camryn’s eyes widened, as if she couldn’t believe he’d actually offered. “Absolutely. Well, if you’d like to. Half of me is dying to know, and the other half wants to just sit here and take in the scenery.”
Maximo glanced at the towering mountains silhouetted against the night sky. Snow capped the peaks while lights glimmered against the meadow in the valley below. It was a beautiful view, no doubt about it. Camryn’s curiosity drew him back, however, the gravitational pull of her effervescent personality too much to resist.
“I never said I’d tell you what the big secret is tonight,” he teased her.
Her face fell.
Maximo’s shoulders shook. She was refreshingly transparent. Perhaps that was why he’d gone to such extremes to see her again, despite the fact that she was a journalist. He didn’t let himself think too deeply about his reasons. Instead, he concentrated on enjoying himself.
“But you will, because then I won’t sleep, and when I wake up with giant bags under my eyes, you’ll feel responsible.” She smiled before she took a long sip of her wine.
He matched her smile effortlessly. “You underestimate me. I won’t feel a bit responsible. I might even enjoy it.”
“I didn’t peg you for a sadist.”
“You didn’t peg me for a lot of things.” His voice dropped an octave, sliding into silky, dark territory. He hadn’t exactly meant to go there. The longer he was around Camryn, however, the more he wanted to push her buttons. She’d been on his mind since Rome, since the kiss in the hallway. Enjoying her briefly startled expression, he lifted his glass for a drink.
“Especially a guy who steals kisses from innocent girls in hallways,” she said.
“You can’t steal what’s readily given,” he countered, fighting down amusement. Stealing kisses, his ass.
Camryn burbled a noise against the rim of her wineglass. It might have been laughter. Or a scoff. “And you’re a fibber, too. I should have known.”
“Which part do you contest? That it was readily given? I don’t trust a woman who snorts wine up her nose.” He eyed her with feigned suspicion.
That time, she did choke. She sputtered, coughing and laughing. “If I snorted anything, it’s because you made me!”
“I see how it is. It always comes back on me.”
“You’re just trying to distract me from the ‘big news.’”
“Even if I was ready to tell you, you’re not prepared. The recorder isn’t on. Again,” Maximo said. He enjoyed goading her.
Camryn reached over and clicked on the device. “Okay, that’s taken care of. Now then.” She cleared her throat, affecting a more businesslike tone, although her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Maximo, thank you for inviting me to Switzerland for a series of interviews, both on the set of your new movie and off. From your own lips I’ve learned you have major news to announce. The readers of Integrity can’t wait to know what it is. So please, without further ado, put us out of our misery.”
Camryn held her breath. She didn’t expect Maximo to gush forth with all his secrets straight out of the gate, especially not after she pretended to corner him on the very first interview. Yet the distinct pause between her frivolous question and his answer made her wonder whether he was actually about to divulge the news after all.
Maximo sipped his wine, apparently biding his time.
Camryn forgot all about her drink while she waited, staring at his eyes. I hope he’s not about to announce his engagement, she thought for the second time. Their easy banter and the sparks flying through the air with every glance suggested an undeniable attraction. She didn’t want it to end, while at the same time knowing it could go nowhere.
“I do have an announcement to make. But I think it makes everything more interesting to wait until the last question of the final interview. Don’t you agree?” His mouth twitched at the corners, like he wanted to smile, as he set his glass on the table.
Then he did smile, and Camryn’s heart stuttered. She pushed up out of the chair and rounded the table almost before she knew what she was doing. Managing to take Max by surprise, she looped her arm around his shoulders and noogied his head. “That’s the dirtiest trick ever.”
Maximo proved to be quicker than Camryn gave him credit for. He caught her arm and tugged at just the right moment, sending her off balance. She landed in his lap with a laugh, legs dangling over the edge of his thigh.
“Let me revise my statement. That was the dirtiest trick ever,” she said, trying to ignore the hard muscles of his legs and the breadth of his chest.
“I don’t hear you complaining,” he said, sliding his arms around her hips.
Intoxicated by his nearness and the subtle scent of masculine cologne that teased her senses, Camryn forced herself to remember that Maximo was a cheater at worst and a playboy at best. He had a girlfriend, or a friend with benefits, or whatever Raquel was. They’d left his suite together in Rome—what more proof did she need? Getting deeper involved with Max would only result in heartache.
If he had an open relationship, however, was it such a crime to take advantage for one evening? Surely a little flirting harmed no one. It wasn’t as if she would fall in love in the next half hour. So she allowed herself to run her fingers through Maximo’s hair, reveling in the silky softness of it.
“It’s hard to complain when I’m sitting on your lap,” she pointed out.
“Should I dump you on the floor?”
She laughed. “You wouldn’t dare.”
Suddenly, Camryn found herself swinging away from his lap. She yelped in surprise. But he never released her from his arms, instead pulling her back tight against his body with effortless ease and control.
“You’re lucky I don’t believe in tossing women on the ground, even on a dare,” he said. His shoulders shook with silent laughter.
Cam slid her arm all the way around Maximo’s neck, bringing their heads closer together. “I guess this confirms you’re the chivalrous type,” she teased.
“My father taught me well.”
“Is he the chivalrous type, too?”
“Very much so. I grew up watching him do the same thing for my mother, and he does it to this day. He’s very old school,” Maximo said. His eyes lidded when she dragged her fingernails lightly across the back of his shoulders.
“It’s a lost art. Or maybe I just don’t run with the right crowd. But I’m glad to see it in person,” she confessed. Most men Camryn knew wouldn’t think of opening a girl’s door or escorting her here or there on their elbow.
“There are more of us than you think,” he said with a wink.
“That makes you sound like an almost-extinct species.”
He laughed and lifted a hand to trace his fingertips along her jawline. “As long as you like it, that’s all that matters to me.”
Camryn could feel a kiss coming on. Their mouths were only inches apart, nearly close enough to share breath. She stared into his eyes while he stared into hers.
“I like a lot of things about you,” Camryn said, surprisin
g herself.
“That’s good, because I like a lot of things about you, too,” he replied just before their mouths met.
Camryn refused to think about anything except the heat of his lips and the texture of his tongue. He boldly explored her mouth like he had a right to, as if he’d done it a hundred times before. The suggestive glide and lick of his tongue sent swirls of heat straight to her belly, where it spread to engulf her entire pelvis. When she felt the pad of his thumb stroke up her ribs and over her breast, teasing the nipple to life, she experienced her first moment of real regret.
Flirting and kissing was one thing; taking it further was another. She had half a mind to call him out, to lambast him for his roguish ways, mostly because she wanted what he was apparently offering. A hot night of sex with Maximo Payne couldn’t be anything but exciting and fulfilling.
He has a girlfriend. Or a lover. Have you lost your mind?
Camryn engaged in exactly one more minute of the kiss, resisting the urge to squirm on his lap, before breaking the seal of their mouths. She cleared her throat and straightened her spine, sending silent signals that she’d reached her limit.
His hand fell away from her breast while he searched her eyes. Camryn recognized desire in his gaze, read it in every taut muscle in his body. He wanted her as much as she wanted him, or she’d eat her shoe.
For the tiniest moment, she contemplated the unthinkable. When would she get another chance like this? Could she pass up the opportunity for possibly the best sex of her life? If his relationship with Raquel was an open one, the only person who might get hurt was herself.
Exactly, she thought. Don’t do it.
Just one more kiss—a few more seconds of bliss. Spearing her fingers through his hair, she brought their mouths together again.
He was addictive, the bastard. Although he didn’t immediately return his hand to her breast, he did shift his legs so that she sat more blatantly on his lap. It only took a slight shift of her weight to feel the hard bulge beneath his pants.
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