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Her chest tightened.

‘But we don’t need to build a raft,’ she blurted. ‘No love coach would advise putting unnecessary strain on an already fragile situation. We could just walk around the lake. A few pics with a tent, and then …’

‘I’ve packed waders,’ Teijo replied. ‘Because life is about enjoying the journey, Miss Heart – as your Instagram quotes are always reminding us. Embrace the ride.’

She’d quite happily shove the ride up someone’s ridiculous T-shirt.

But as Teijo threw a pair of rubbery-looking trousers at her and pointed to the lake, she knew she’d better suck it up and start smiling, if she didn’t want to breach her contract or look like a quitter. No wonder her agent had opted to stay at home again. Rufus had all but promised her the tasks would be quick and painless. And he had not mentioned when questioned the very real danger of being faced with Devan Shaw. Or indeed the possibility she might be sleeping face to face with him in what was bound to be a particularly small tent. Awkward to the power of a million.

It wasn’t long before she and Devan were listening to the quiet purr of Teijo’s engine, as he disappeared for two whole days – and something inside Alyssa was silently screaming. The purr had barely disappeared before she was eyeing up routes around the lake to avoid going over it and wondering how long she’d have to hike to a road to hitch a ride.

‘You know he wants photos of the finished raft with us on it?’ said Devan, clearly guessing she was considering escape routes. ‘Shall I get some logs?’

She supposed she ought to at least complete some of the task, before trying to leg it. ‘I’m perfectly capable, thanks.’

‘I don’t doubt it,’ he replied. ‘You’re determined enough to make fourteen rafts and a shed to put them in. You just don’t look like you fancy doing this.’

She paused for a moment. Did he think that about her? That she was determined? It was always strange to hear other people’s take on you, especially when they’d known you well. Though they were both different now.

‘It’s just not my idea of a fun weekend, that’s all,’ she heard herself admitting. At least Teijo and his notepad had gone.

‘I wondered.’ He sat on a log and grabbed Teijo’s instructions on how to make a raft. ‘So why do you tell the app and your followers that you’re into this sort of thing, if you’re not?’

He kept his gaze trained on the paper in his hand.

‘Are you saying I make stuff up?’ she asked.

‘I don’t know. Do you?’

His words hung in the air, which still had a chill, even though the late winter sun was rising. A bird squawked somewhere in the distance.

Alyssa opened her mouth to reply. There were so many things she wanted to say. This fresh, clear air was almost inviting it. A small part of her felt like telling him she’d built this whole persona to feel accepted and liked, and that it was all becoming a bit ridiculous. She imagined the great weight of it lifting as they chuckled at the unlikeliness of her eating mung beans on a white-water raft, wearing painful yoga pants …

The distant bird screeched again, bringing her instantly back to her senses. What on earth was she thinking? Of course she wasn’t going to start spilling all that, to Devan Shaw, of all people. She’d only been alone with him for approximately three minutes, and already she was getting extremely strange ideas. This was going to be a long weekend.

‘I’ll find some wood. We’ll go separate ways.’

‘You know, it will be easier if we work together,’ Devan said cautiously. ‘I’ve never made a raft before, have you? And let’s face it, Teijo’s instructions are likely to be shit,’ he joked.

That was something they could agree on.

‘So I guess it’s teamwork or drown?’

Alyssa couldn’t help the laugh that burst out of her. ‘Now there’s a saying for Instagram.’ Though for once, she didn’t want to share it. ‘You know, that’s probably the only reason I’d agree to teamwork with you,’ she said lightly. ‘Survival.’

‘Oh yeah. The only reason?’ He ran a hand through his wayward brown hair, the natural streaks of auburn flashing in the low sun.

Alyssa tried not to notice how the misty air had turned a few strands adorably wavy. She’d probably think the same about a spaniel.

Devan quirked his eyebrows, showing off his deep blue eyes. He wasn’t wearing his geek chic glasses today. Not that his eyeballs were any of her business. One corner of his mouth was twitching into a smile, as though he knew his jokey efforts to look seductive were too much. Then, inexplicably, one hand moved slowly up his thigh towards his groin. Alyssa’s mouth dropped. What on earth was he …?

She shook her gaze away and glared at him.

‘Not even for my massive … bar of chocolate?’

Alyssa let out a relieved breath, mixed with a snort of laughter.

‘Chocolate is survival,’ she said, letting her eyes dance across the chunky Yorkie bar he was pulling out.

‘And here was me thinking I could only impress you with a smile like Teijo’s and a packet of goji berries.’

‘Teamwork or drown,’ said Alyssa, holding out her hand for her share of the chocolate bar Devan was already breaking in half.

‘Is that a deal?’ he asked, his eyes twinkling.