Her Fictional Fling: Scandals in Scotland Contemporary Romance Series Book 1 Read Online Free PDF Page A

before she could catch herself, she was on her way down. She felt a tug on her hand, and Colin turned in time to wrap an arm around her back, breaking her fall—again. Her usual klutziness had reached an all-time high tonight. He looped his other arm under her knees and lifted her off the ground, pressing her into him, then spun around and continued on toward an exit. She could feel his heart racing and his chest was hot through the thin fabric of her dress. Tension seeped from him like a wild animal, but when he looked down at her, he only winked as though he did this all the time, as though it wasn’t scary as hell.
    She pulled herself toward his face and inhaled spicy male scent as he tightened his grip on her bottom. Mercy . All in all, two near-accidents were a small price to pay for being rescued and hauled off by a delicious Viking hero, regardless of what became of the rest of the night.
    When this was over, maybe she would consider giving in to Lily’s incessant pressure to get out more.
     
    Colin held Andi as close and tight as he could manage with cameramen jostling him on all sides. The bastards had no sense of boundaries, and their behavior was appalling. It was a downside of fame that Colin was sure he’d never get used to. Though he wouldn’t trade the life he had now for the one he’d grown up in, there were limits to how much a guy could tolerate. He’d lost his temper only once before in front of the vultures, and the consequences had resulted in a vow to himself that he wouldn’t lose it like that again, but he refused to let them dictate his life.
    It would be nice if he could go out for a pint in a pub on occasion or catch a football game with his buddies without being fussed over, but as his résumé grew and his work improved, the attention only increased. Lately, the media was laser-focused on his every move. Hopefully, the plan he was concocting would work. He would take Andi back to the condo he’d rented for the duration of filming, get her relaxed, and see what she thought. It wasn’t a crazy idea, and, if she agreed, it would benefit them both. She was smart; she’d be able to see what was in it for her.
    They would keep things strictly casual, a business relationship and nothing more; they’d put on a little show for the media, and by the time she headed home in a week, the wolves would likely sniff out another trail to follow. And there wasn’t any reason not to take advantage of the added bonus of Andi’s company. He liked her already, quite a lot in fact, but he’d be careful to lay things out in clear terms so there wouldn’t be a chance of hurt feelings down the way. Nicole would see he’d moved on for good, and with any luck she’d stop sending daily emails begging him to let things go and fix his friendship with her new boyfriend, his ex best mate. Apparently, things had been sour in that department, and Nicole, ever selfish, wasn’t happy reaping the consequences of her actions. Not his problem. He’d be glad when she was out of his life for good and when he could no longer feel the aftermath of the knife in his back courtesy of the two people he’d trusted the most.
    He prided himself on refusing the bodyguards that so many celebrities resorted to, but Andi hadn’t been given a choice in the matter, so he owed it to her to shield her from the possibility of danger.
    He pushed through the mob and finally reached the door to the parking garage. Andi reached out a high-heeled foot and kicked the door open. Colin grinned to himself. Even under duress she had spunk. He liked her more and more every minute, and he had to admit he was glad she’d literally stumbled into his life just a while ago.
    He hadn’t meant to freak her out by carrying her off without telling her where they were headed; she seemed okay with it but as soon as he could, he’d explain. He hadn’t had much of a choice except to run and leave the paparazzi behind.
    Colin turned a corner and broke