Emily plopped a K-Cup in her Keurig. She pretended not to notice Shelby glowering at her while she waited for her coffee to brew.

"When'd you get home last night?" Emily asked. She kept her eyes fixed on the liquid streaming into her mug. The last time she'd looked at the clock on her bedside table before drifting off to sleep had been just after 2 a.m., and Shelby hadn't been there.

"This morning, you mean. I got home about an hour ago." Shelby's tone of voice was unreadable.

"Did you spend the night at Darren's?" Emily stirred creamer into her coffee. The longer she could keep the conversation focused on Shelby's life, the better the chances were for her escape. If Shelby found out she was seeing Raine again today, Emily might never get to leave the kitchen.

"I did."

Emily's lips puckered at the thought of things getting that serious again between Shelby and Darren. She nodded, turning her face away from Shelby, and picked up her mug.

"You really aren't going to say anything else?"

"About you spending the night at Darren's?" Emily forced her mouth out of its pucker and tried to keep her expression blank.

Shelby shook her head. "Try again."

So much for her getaway. "About Raine?"

She saw Shelby's jaw clench. This could be worse than she'd thought.

"About talking to Cory last night. What were you thinking? It's all over the entertainment sites today. Even Wally posted something."

Shelby didn't have to tell her that. The first thing Emily had done after waking up this morning had been to reach for her phone and re-read the story on Tinseltown Buzz. After that, she'd checked the sites that had followed or fabricated every detail of her dating life a few months ago. Wally's post was the shortest and had the fewest details, but it angered her the most. He was supposed to have her back, which meant he shouldn't have written anything.

"Cory spotted me and wanted to talk," she said. "What could I do? I had no idea he'd be there, and it's not like I welcomed it."

"You should have walked away without saying a word." Shelby unclenched her jaw, but she still looked irritated. "I wouldn't put it past Tinseltown Buzz to have asked him to do that, just so they could get a story."

"Yeah, well. Hindsight and everything." Emily grimaced. She started to walk out of the kitchen, clutching her coffee mug.

"At least you told him you were seeing someone," Shelby called after her. "Wait until he finds out it's Raine Kingston. He'll lose his mind."

Emily stopped, mid-step. "What?"

"Raine. You're seeing the greatest guy in Hollywood who everyone loves and who's never had a bad story written about him. I'd give anything to see Cory choke on that once he finds out."

Emily's heart thudded. "Why would he find out about Raine?"

"He has to find out if you keep seeing him." Shelby sounded impatient. "You are planning on seeing him again, aren't you?"

Emily peered over her shoulder and studied her best friend, searching for a sign that she was messing with her. She didn't find one. Shelby seemed completely serious.

"Just to make sure I'm hearing you correctly, you're saying you're good with me dating Raine?" Emily asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Shelby looked bewildered.

I'm not awake enough for this conversation, Emily thought. From the way Shelby had responded, it sounded as though she had her best friend's blessing. She took another drink of her coffee before answering.

"Maybe because of how opposed you were to me seeing Cory, and because of the trainwreck you watched my life become," Emily replied, once she'd finished swallowing.

Shelby rolled her eyes. "You can't compare Raine and Cory. Their names don't even belong together in the same sentence. Honestly, Em."

Emily returned to the counter and set her mug down. "I'm confused. Have you met Raine before or something? Or is this all based on what you know from the tabloids?"

Shelby shook her head. "My coworker's little sister spent last summer interning on the set of one of his movies. She saw him almost every day for two months. Coolest and sweetest guy ever, according to her. She said he's the most un-Hollywood-like person she's met in L.A."

"So you were okay with him showing up here and taking me out the other night?"

Shelby's eyes widened. "Okay with it? I wanted to drag you into your room and squeal about it. I've been waiting to do that with you and to ask you about your date. Was it amazing? How did you meet him? How did he ask you out? Have you talked to him since you went out? Details, Em. I need details." Shelby was practically bouncing in her chair.

Emily held up her hand. "I need to finish my coffee."

"Is he a good kisser?" Shelby continued. "You did at least kiss him, right?"

"Can we talk about this later? The caffeine hasn't kicked in yet." Emily rubbed her eyes, thankful when she heard the faint chime of her phone coming from where she'd left it in her bedroom.

"Did you go home with him?"

"I said later, Shel." Emily picked up her mug and attempted to leave the kitchen for a second time.

"You're really going to leave me hanging?" Shelby complained. "Not knowing anything about this is killing me, you know."

"For now," Emily told her. "I promise we'll talk later, but I just heard my phone."

She didn't wait for Shelby to answer. Once she was in her bedroom with the door shut behind her, temporarily safe from being peppered with more questions, she grabbed her phone from where she had left it on her bed and looked at its screen.

Good morning. Up for a day at the beach? The text was from Raine.

She began texting him that yes, she was more than up for the beach, then hesitated. It was a warm day with blue sky and sunshine in southern California. Most beaches would be wall-to-wall people today, and a lot of those people would have phones with cameras they could take photos and videos with. What if someone took Tinseltown Buzz up on their offer, or decided they wanted instant online popularity? It only took one person uploading something to their favorite social media site to set Emily's life tumbling back into chaos.

She and Raine needed to be cautious about where they went. Emily deleted what she'd typed and started over. Which beach?

He answered within seconds. Our own private paradise, just you and me. It's all good, I promise.

She glanced out her window at the cloudless sky. It was the perfect day for the beach, and Raine had been true to his word about their dinner being low-key. She had no reason to doubt him now.

Admit it, she typed. You just want to see me in a bikini.

His reply was speedy. Now that you mention it... not gonna lie.

She had to laugh. Points for honesty. Pick me up at noon?

I'm counting the seconds, he wrote back.

* * *

The private paradise Raine promised turned out to be a beach house in Malibu. It belonged to one of his friends who was shooting a movie in Europe. He'd asked Raine to check in on it while he was out of town, Raine explained, and had invited him to stay there and use it whenever he wanted to.

Emily expected a one or two-bedroom cottage that overlooked the ocean, but the gated driveway they pulled into was adjacent to something closer to a beach mansion. It was the kind of home most people only ever saw on TV and never set foot inside. Her shoulders relaxed when she realized it really would be just her and Raine here, hidden away from the rest of the world.

"Just need to grab a few things," Raine said, after helping her out of the Escalade. He walked to the back of the truck and opened the rear door.

Raine didn't seem to know that Emily's name was all over the entertainment sites today. If he was aware of it, he hadn't said anything when he'd picked her up or during the drive. Given her conversation with Shelby and the texts Wally had continued to send her last night that she'd discovered upon waking up this morning and turning on her phone, she was grateful for this bright spot of peace in her day.

She joined Raine at the back of the Escalade and peeked past the open door. A cooler, beach blanket, and a few grocery bags were piled inside the truck.

"What's all this?" she asked.

"Picnic lunch. I thought we might get hungry." He pulled the cooler out of the truck and set it on the ground, then reached for the grocery bags.

"Let me help with those," she said, taking some of the bags from him. She waited until he'd locked the Escalade and followed him to a set of stairs at the side of the house. The stairs led to a glassed-in patio.

"We can leave these here for now," Raine said, setting the cooler and the bags he was holding onto the patio floor. He took the bags Emily held and put them beside the cooler. "Come check this out."

He led her down a different set of stairs at the front of the patio, this time to a white sand beach. Her feet sank into the warm sand, so she kicked off her sandals and walked farther onto the beach, breathing in the salty air.

"It's hot out here today," he commented, walking beside her.

Emily watched him unbutton his shirt. The ocean breeze caught one side of the open shirt front, allowing her to glimpse Raine's bare chest. He'd looked lean and toned in the T-shirts she'd seen him wear to yoga, but reality more than lived up to what she had imagined. Her eyes wandered down to his well-defined abs.

"What do you think?"

"Hmmm?" She let her eyes roam the rest of his body before realizing he was watching her. Caught.

"The view," he said, looking amused. "Of the water, I mean."

"It's amazing," she replied, her cheeks growing warm. She wasn't only talking about the ocean.

He circled his arm around her waist, letting his hand settle on her hip. The voice inside Emily that warned her to be careful with her privacy and her heart was silenced the second he touched her. Tingles ran up and down her spine.

"Want something?" Raine asked.

What a question. Emily licked her lower lip. "What did you have in mind?"

"We have champagne, soda, water... anything you'd like." His eyes were focused intently on her.

"Anything?" Her gaze flickered back to his abs.

He gently pulled her closer. "Anything."

The strong pull of attraction Emily had felt when they'd kissed two nights ago returned with full force. She sensed they were about to pick up where they'd left off in her foyer. A part of her hesitated, both because she was only starting to know Raine, and because as secluded as they were, there was always some risk with kissing out in the open. Celebrities were photographed on private beaches all the time.

Still, instinct told Emily she could trust Raine. She felt safe with him for reasons she couldn't explain, and it was a lot different from how her relationship with Cory had ever made her feel. It was her instinct, combined with the force of attraction, which won out. Emily's hand wandered to Raine's chest.

Raine's eyes twinkled as he tilted his head down, stopping when his lips were just an inch from hers. "Is this what you'd like?"

"Maybe." She ran her fingers up his forearm, her eyes never leaving his.

"Just maybe?" His lips were closer now, just a breath away. His hand slipped under the hem of her tank top. A shiver ran through her when he pressed his palm against her stomach.

"Definitely."

"Definitely what?" His lips touched hers, feather-light, for only a second. He moved away again.

"That, but..." She paused, bringing her hand up and running her finger along his jaw.

"But?" he prompted.

Emily pressed her index finger against his lips. "This first."

She trailed kisses along his jawline and up toward his ear. Before she could kiss his earlobe, he cupped the side of her face and lowered his mouth to hers, the pressure soft at first, but quickly intensifying. She held onto his arms, kissing him until he stopped a few minutes later, his breath shallow and his eyes still closed. His hands moved to her shoulders.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

Raine nodded, but didn't open his eyes. "Just trying to make myself think gentlemanly thoughts. Give me a minute."

She smiled widely. "As opposed to what kind of thoughts?"

"I might tell you on our third date." He took a breath, released it, and opened his eyes again. Merry mischief danced across his face. "Or maybe the fourth. If I tell you on the third date, I may not make it past there."

"Now I'm even more curious," she teased.

He shook his head. "Locked and in the vault. For now."

"Fine." She feigned a disappointed expression, but she couldn't keep a straight face. "Remind me what we were doing before you started having these thoughts you won't share?"

He stroked his chin, pretending to think. "I believe I asked you if there was anything you wanted."

"And so the trouble starts again." She reached for his hand. "Maybe we should get some of that champagne or soda or water first, though."

"Anything you'd like." He squeezed her fingers. They retraced their steps across the sand and returned to the patio.

Emily sat down on a cushioned rattan loveseat that faced out toward the beach, while Raine headed inside the house to find glasses. Now that she was looking at the ocean for real, she saw how breathtaking the view truly was. She could only imagine what it looked like at sunset.

She reached for her purse and pulled out her phone to take a picture. That's when she saw the missed calls and text message from Wally.

Cut me a break and give me a quote about last night? It will help you, too.

She knew she should ignore him and respond later, or just not answer him at all and deal with it later, but then he'd probably try calling and texting her all day.

I hope you're joking. No quotes. Talk later. Emily read over her message and sent it to Wally.

Her phone rang a few seconds later.

"Not a chance," she muttered, tapping the ignore button.

"Everything good?" Raine stepped back onto the patio. He had two glasses and a corkscrew in his hands, which he set down on a table in front of the loveseat.

"Yes." She put her phone on the table. "Want a hand?"

"Both of them." He interlaced his fingers with hers and pulled her to her feet.

"Oh yeah?" She lifted her chin to look up at him. "Why's that?"

He moved in closer, bending his head down. "So I can do this." He kissed her forehead and then brought his head down, leaving a butterfly kiss on the tip of her nose.

Emily's ringtone filled the air. She ignored it, but Raine didn't.

"Do you need to get that?" he asked.

"It's not important," she said. And right now, it really wasn't. All Emily wanted to focus on was her afternoon with Raine. She had the rest of her life to worry about Wally, Tinseltown Buzz, and anyone else who was on a mission to invade her privacy.

Her phone stopped ringing. Raine leaned in to kiss her. Just as his lips met hers, her phone started ringing again.

Stop it, she silently commanded both her phone and Wally. But it was too late. Raine moved his head away from hers, breaking their kiss. Her ringtone continued to play.

"Should you see who it is?" Raine asked.

"I already know who it is, and I'm not talking to Wally while I'm here with you." She sat down on the loveseat again. Raine joined her.

"Wally? Is this about the roast you covered last night for your column?"

"Probably." She leaned in to kiss Raine's neck. He didn't move.

"Are you skipping a deadline to hang out with me?"

"Nope." She moved her lips to Raine's shoulder. Her phone stopped ringing.

"Does he know you're busy right now, seducing me?"

She swatted his arm. "There's a difference between making out with you and seducing you. To be clear, this is making out, and you started it."

"I started it, did I?" He raised an eyebrow.

"When you unbuttoned your shirt and let the ocean breeze practically take it off you. Don't tell me that wasn't intentional."

Raine chuckled. "You make it sound like the breeze and I had a hot and heavy striptease going on."

"You still started it, because then you kissed me," she reminded him.

"Like this, wasn't it?" He lowered his head, bringing his mouth to hers.

Her ringtone started up again, and the moment was over. Only the ocean air greeted Emily's lips when Raine raised his head and looked at her phone.

"Want me to answer it and tell him you'll call him back?" he asked.

"No!" She grabbed her phone from the table in case he was serious. "I'm turning it off."

She powered her phone down and put it on the table. When she looked up, Raine was watching her.

"No more interruptions." She sat back against the loveseat cushions. "Where did we leave off?"

Raine didn't answer or make a move to kiss her again. Instead, he got to his feet and walked over to the cooler he'd brought with him from the Escalade.

"We left off with me wondering why Wally keeps calling you and why you almost dived for the phone when I joked about answering it," he said.

"Honestly, it's nothing," Emily insisted. "Wally's just a pain sometimes if he doesn't get his way."

She watched Raine open the cooler and reach for a bottle. He held it up to her.

"Champagne?" he asked.

She nodded, and he closed the cooler again.

"You said Wally's not getting his way. In what?"

She could tell Raine wasn't going to leave this alone until she gave him an answer.

"Tinseltown Buzz wrote something about me being at the roast last night and now he wants an exclusive from me," she said, picking at a piece of fluff on the cushion. "Told you it was nothing."

"Does he want an exclusive about you talking to your ex or about who you're seeing now?"

Emily stared at him. "You know about that?"

"I heard the entertainment headlines on the radio while driving to your place."

"You didn't say anything when you came to get me."

"I wanted to see if you'd mention it." He returned to the loveseat and sat down beside her, still holding the bottle of champagne.

"I didn't see a reason to," she protested. "All that happened was a reporter from Tinseltown Buzz overheard me make up a story that I'm seeing someone. I was just trying to get Cory to leave me alone, but they posted an article about it and then offered to pay anyone who could tip them off about my dating life. It's pretty ridiculous."

"Go back." Raine had an odd look on his face.

"Back where?"

"To the part where you said you made up a story that you're seeing someone." He put the champagne on the table.

"What about it?" she asked.

It was his turn to stare at her. "It's not made up if it's true. We did have dinner two nights ago, and we're having a beach date right now. Or did I miss something?"

Open mouth, insert foot, she thought. "I didn't mean it that way."

"So we're on the same page, I consider this seeing you. And I'd like to keep seeing you."

She touched his arm. "I'd like to keep seeing you, too."

He nodded, but didn't say anything else. Emily didn't know how to fill the silence, so she gazed out at the ocean instead, watching the waves roll to the shore.