Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

" I must be crazy," Abby muttered, her hands shaking as she stabbed a spray of frangipani into her French roll.

The hairdresser and makeup artist had done a great job, but her hair had needed a finishing touch and she adored the beautiful fragrant flower growing wild all over the island.

"Told you this modelling stuff is hard work," Tara said, fussing around her like a mother hen as she tugged and primped at the tea-rose, silk-chiffon gown that fit Abby like a glove, much to her disgust.

"There." Tara stood back and appraised her. "Perfect."

Abby grimaced, reluctant to admit she looked good. She could barely recognise herself; lucky, considering she needed a confidence mask when she faced Judd so soon after their revealing conversation earlier.

"This is all wrong."

Tara shook her head, her trademark red locks flowing around her shoulders in blowout perfection. "You look amazing. With the hots for that sexy groom of yours," she added, with a cheeky grin.

Having the hots for Judd was an understatement, not that she'd let Tara in on the fact.

"How did I get myself into this?"

"Simple. You took one look into those dreamy hazel eyes and melted like any red-blooded woman would."

"I don't melt. And for your information, I talked him into helping me."

"Yeah? So you're telling me you agreed to wear that dress out of the goodness of your heart?" Tara snorted and rolled her eyes. "As if. I bet the dreamboat suggested you model alongside him and you fell in a simpering heap at his feet."

"Not likely," Abby muttered. She'd never fall at any guy's feet, friend or otherwise. "This job needs to get done ASAP and courtesy of my curves I'm the only poor sucker who could fit into this damn thing."

Abby patted her hips, knowing she never would've contemplated modelling unless Judd suggested it. But he had a point. She'd saved hours in not scouring the exclusive resort for a possible model but that didn't make this any easier. She was about to pose for wedding shots, have to act lovey-dovey with the guy she'd agreed to have a fling with.

The guy she'd secretly never gotten over.

The guy she'd daydreamed about doing this very thing with, for real.

How much more complicated could this situation get?

Being attracted to Judd as a teenager had nothing on the buzz between them now. Everything seemed more intense, more out of control, just…more.

She wanted him, but could she go through with this? He'd seen her at her best, he'd seen her at her worst. They'd swapped footy cards as kids, he'd dinked her on his bike to school for years, and he held her close when her first boyfriend broke her heart.

He knew everything about her.

Except for one tiny fact: when he'd left Pier Point, she'd had to deal with the devastation of being rejected by someone she loved all over her again.

First her parents, then Judd, and somehow his defection had hurt a hell of a lot more than her parents when she'd been barely out of her toddler years.

What if having a fling with her best friend was addictive? What if she went through the same rejection drama when he jetted off at the end of this job? Or worse, what if she fell in love with him all over again?

"Honey, you make that dress look exquisite. I bet you a hundred bucks the dreamboat's eyes fall out of his head."

"No bet." She avoided looking at Tara, not willing to reveal the tiny surge of excitement she hoped her appearance might do exactly that to Judd.

Tara chuckled. "Okay, I'll quit joking around. Now remember, head up, shoulders back, boobs out, and work it, girl. You got this."

Turning her back on the mirror and poking her tongue out at Tara, Abby said, "That's what I intend to do. Get this job done ASAP so I can concentrate on working you into the ground for the rest of the week. Let's go."

"Honey, I wouldn't miss this for the world." Tara held out her elbow and tucked Abby's hand under it. "I can see the headlines now: Abby Weiss, ace fashion stylist turns model, and turns dreamboat photographer into a sap in the process."

"Don't hold your breath."

Though a small part of her couldn't wait to play make-believe with Judd and see how he reacted following their revealing discussion. Would he tease her as usual? Or would the thought of getting up close and personal with each other in the not too distance future cramp his style?

Up close and personal …heat flooded her cheeks at the thought of being in bed with Judd if his magical kisses were any indication.

"Looks like the blushing bride is dreaming about the honeymoon."

"Come on," Abby snapped, stalking in front of Tara and ignoring her chuckles, while cursing her stupidity for landing in this predicament in the first place.