Read Online Playing to Win (Summer Beach Vets 2) - sweet contemporary romance by H.Y. Hanna - Free Book Online
Authors: H.Y. Hanna
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pests and diseases seen in other places. We’d like to keep it that way.”
Ellie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I got in trouble when I arrived because I’d brought some grapes in a bag and didn’t think of declaring it. But they were nice about it and let me off.” She looked over at the photographer. “Looks like they’re setting up the first shot now. That’s good, because I can’t stay for long—I’ve got a conference call to take.” She glanced down at her watch.
“How did your meeting go? The one that was postponed from last week. It was this morning, wasn’t it?”
“Oh, it went great, thanks.” Ellie smiled up at him, her eyes shining. “One of the board members came up to me afterwards and said how impressed he was with my presentation. He’s asked me to give a talk at the Annual Luxury Resorts Awards Dinner down in Sydney in a couple of weeks. It’s a huge honour to be asked, especially as I’m so new on the job. The event will be a fantastic chance to network as well—meet all the important people in the industry.” She laughed. “I guess it was a good thing my car died last week, after all, because at least it’s fixed now and I won’t have to worry about driving down to Sydney. It would have been awful if I had problems then. I can’t miss this event for anything!”
Dan smiled. “Well, you can always borrow my ute if you ever need it. Just let me know.”
Ellie looked surprised. “Thanks.” She raised her eyebrows teasingly. “You haven’t seen me drive yet though. You might not want to take the risk with your precious car.”
Dan looked at her luminous brown eyes and felt his pulse quicken. He was beginning to think that the real risk was not to his car but to his heart.
CHAPTER 9
The photo shoot seemed to be going well. The photographer was almost finished with the first shot—a picture of the wallabies beside an old tree stump. Ellie watched as the resort staff helped to position the friendly marsupials and hold their attention using food treats. The camera shutter clicked away. Then they moved on to getting a portrait of a galah—a beautiful native cockatoo with bright, sorbet-pink feathers—perched on a branch, followed by a funny shot of the kangaroo scratching his rump, a close-up of a skink peeking out from under a rock, another shot of the wallabies in action, and then finally it was time for Baz’s close-up.
But the emu would not leave Ellie’s side. The big bird seemed fascinated by her, constantly sidling close to her and curving his long neck around her shoulder while she edged nervously away. She could see Dan struggling not to laugh.
“Looks like you’ve made a big impression,” he said.
She pulled a face. “Great. My first ‘Aussie’ conquest. A giant emu.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say he’s your first,” murmured Dan with a smile.
Ellie’s glanced at him quickly but his grey eyes were unreadable. What did he mean by that?
“Will and Milo seem pretty smitten by you as well,” he said.
Ellie felt a faint stab of disappointment. “Oh… oh yes.” She smiled. “The feeling is mutual there.”
Dan made a face of mock surprise. “What, even Milo?”
Ellie laughed. “He’s growing on me. I don’t know—there’s just something about that dog that makes you smile. When he’s not headbutting you and smashing your nose in, that is,” she added wryly.
Dan roared with laughter. Ellie caught her breath, looking at him—at the way the sunlight played across the tanned muscles of his arms and the strong column of his throat as he threw his head back and laughed. She wondered what it would feel like to have those arms around her, to hear that easy laughter every day and see those grey eyes warm with tender affection…
“Ellie?”
She started guiltily. The photographer was beckoning to her.
“Can you come over here to the tree stump? That way maybe Baz will follow you too,” he suggested.
Ellie went over and the huge emu
Ellie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I got in trouble when I arrived because I’d brought some grapes in a bag and didn’t think of declaring it. But they were nice about it and let me off.” She looked over at the photographer. “Looks like they’re setting up the first shot now. That’s good, because I can’t stay for long—I’ve got a conference call to take.” She glanced down at her watch.
“How did your meeting go? The one that was postponed from last week. It was this morning, wasn’t it?”
“Oh, it went great, thanks.” Ellie smiled up at him, her eyes shining. “One of the board members came up to me afterwards and said how impressed he was with my presentation. He’s asked me to give a talk at the Annual Luxury Resorts Awards Dinner down in Sydney in a couple of weeks. It’s a huge honour to be asked, especially as I’m so new on the job. The event will be a fantastic chance to network as well—meet all the important people in the industry.” She laughed. “I guess it was a good thing my car died last week, after all, because at least it’s fixed now and I won’t have to worry about driving down to Sydney. It would have been awful if I had problems then. I can’t miss this event for anything!”
Dan smiled. “Well, you can always borrow my ute if you ever need it. Just let me know.”
Ellie looked surprised. “Thanks.” She raised her eyebrows teasingly. “You haven’t seen me drive yet though. You might not want to take the risk with your precious car.”
Dan looked at her luminous brown eyes and felt his pulse quicken. He was beginning to think that the real risk was not to his car but to his heart.
CHAPTER 9
The photo shoot seemed to be going well. The photographer was almost finished with the first shot—a picture of the wallabies beside an old tree stump. Ellie watched as the resort staff helped to position the friendly marsupials and hold their attention using food treats. The camera shutter clicked away. Then they moved on to getting a portrait of a galah—a beautiful native cockatoo with bright, sorbet-pink feathers—perched on a branch, followed by a funny shot of the kangaroo scratching his rump, a close-up of a skink peeking out from under a rock, another shot of the wallabies in action, and then finally it was time for Baz’s close-up.
But the emu would not leave Ellie’s side. The big bird seemed fascinated by her, constantly sidling close to her and curving his long neck around her shoulder while she edged nervously away. She could see Dan struggling not to laugh.
“Looks like you’ve made a big impression,” he said.
She pulled a face. “Great. My first ‘Aussie’ conquest. A giant emu.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say he’s your first,” murmured Dan with a smile.
Ellie’s glanced at him quickly but his grey eyes were unreadable. What did he mean by that?
“Will and Milo seem pretty smitten by you as well,” he said.
Ellie felt a faint stab of disappointment. “Oh… oh yes.” She smiled. “The feeling is mutual there.”
Dan made a face of mock surprise. “What, even Milo?”
Ellie laughed. “He’s growing on me. I don’t know—there’s just something about that dog that makes you smile. When he’s not headbutting you and smashing your nose in, that is,” she added wryly.
Dan roared with laughter. Ellie caught her breath, looking at him—at the way the sunlight played across the tanned muscles of his arms and the strong column of his throat as he threw his head back and laughed. She wondered what it would feel like to have those arms around her, to hear that easy laughter every day and see those grey eyes warm with tender affection…
“Ellie?”
She started guiltily. The photographer was beckoning to her.
“Can you come over here to the tree stump? That way maybe Baz will follow you too,” he suggested.
Ellie went over and the huge emu
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