Page 18 of Tricks & Treats at The Cosy Cornish Bakery

Chloe stared at him. Nik had agreed immediately. Jasper would never have agreed to anything, however trivial, until he’d thought it over, weighed up the pros and cons and decided what was in it for him. Either Nik was the most complicated, devious man she’d ever met, or the most straightforward and honourable. She placed a bet on it being the latter. ‘Please keep quiet that it’s Joshua Ralph that Ginger has staying. She’s promised him privacy. I mean, it’ll get out one way or another–’

‘You know how news travels in this village.’

‘I do. But I think Ginger wants to keep him a secret while she can.’

‘I promise you, if news does get out, it won’t be from my lips.’

Chloe gazed at Nik’s lips. They were very attractive. Well-formed. Begging to be kissed. She blinked herself back to reality. No point falling for him again. She wasn’t going to be around long enough.

CHAPTER 10

‘Do I need to wear anything special for this reiki session?’ Josh asked. ‘And yes please to more toast. I love this marmalade.’

‘Home-made,’ Ginger said, passing him the toast rack. They’d shared breakfast and had now got to the tea and toast stage. Sunlight bounced off the sea and streamed through the kitchen window. It was slightly ajar letting in a fresh salty breeze and the sound of gulls. She glanced around thinking how much she loved this house and especially this room. ‘And no, it’s warm in the treatment room and I have throws if you feel you need one. Just wear something loose and comfortable. I can’t believe you’ve never had reiki before.’

‘I’ve had lots of physio. Captain Titan is tough on the body. Before filming I go into intensive training: special diet, massage, six meals of high protein a day kinda thing. It’s aimed at building muscle, though, not exploring my spiritual side.’

Ginger eyed the piece of toast Josh was slathering with salted butter and her best Seville orange marmalade and wondered what effect it would have on his Hollywood-honed physique.

He crunched into his toast and chewed with evident pleasure. ‘Trouble is,’ he said eventually, ‘it’s as boring as hell and makes you crave what you can’t have. Some actors mainline ice cream to bulk up but that stuff just makes you fat.’

‘Nice, though, as a treat.’

‘Agreed. But not in industrial quantities. Takes all the pleasure out of eating.’

‘I need to ask you a few questions before I can proceed with the reiki.’

Josh gave her a warm look from his astonishingly blue eyes. They were the colour of the sea in Wheal Kitty Cove on a summer’s evening: indigo-deep. The combination with his dark hair was magnetic. ‘Ask me anything,’ he said with a grin.

Ginger felt heat rise in her cheeks and, knowing a blush would be only too evident on her pale skin, she rose hurriedly. ‘Let me just get my notebook.’

An hour later she had him where she wanted him, flat out on her treatment couch. Having done her prep – music on, candles lit, blinds drawn so the room was softly lit and fragranced – she’d also prepared herself. Before any reiki treatment, she’d will her mind to be calm and open it to the healing process.

‘I’m a little nervous,’ Josh said, lying face up, eyes closed.

So am I and I’m the professional here. Ginger forced herself to free her mind of the disturbing image of his body lying in front of her. She’d never been in this position before, of fancying a client. She could normally detach how she felt about the person lying in front of her and focus on the treatment, but she was struggling today. ‘Don’t be,’ she answered, forcing her voice to be calm and soothing. ‘Just remember what I said. You may feel relaxed, drift off to sleep or you may feel nothing at all. And afterwards, you may experience a range of emotions. Euphoria, calmness, even weepiness. They’re all perfectly normal reactions.’

He shifted a little on the bed.

‘Not comfortable?’ Ginger asked. ‘We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. Or we can postpone until another day. It’s important you feel open to it.’

‘Just getting really comfy.’ He grinned, keeping his eyes closed. ‘I’m all ready. And yes, I want to go ahead with it.’ He opened his eyes suddenly, staring up at her with a burning intensity. ‘I trust you, Ginger.’

I don’t know why. You hardly know me but, weirdly, I feel the same. ‘That’s good,’ she murmured. ‘Now just lie back and relax. This is your time. Let your mind go where it needs to.’ She took her starting position at the head of the couch. Closing her eyes for a moment, she held her hands in prayer and whispered, ‘I dedicate the treatment to the client’s highest good.’ Remember he’s a client, she added silently. Then she began working through the chakras, holding her hands, palm down over each one, beginning at the crown of Josh’s head and working to his feet.

Once she’d finished, she raised the head of the couch and sat Josh up gently, passing him a glass of water. As he still seemed out of it, she sat on the chair next to the table with the CD player and her favourite crystal on it, leaning back. She closed her eyes, recovering and regrouping, waiting until Josh came round. It had been intense. The energy flowing through her had been extraordinary and her palms were still tingling. Throughout, Josh had lain perfectly still, breathing deeply and evenly. She thought he may now be asleep. It often happened after a deep reiki session and she always took it as a good sign. Letting her own mind drift, she imagined soft seas and crimson and purple sunsets. When she awoke, she stretched and opened her eyes to find Josh sitting on the edge of the bed. He was smiling.

‘You look perfect when you’re asleep,’ he murmured.

Ginger yawned. Then slid back up the chair, appalled at herself. Putting a hand through her hair she said, ‘I must have drifted off. I do apologise. That was most unprofessional.’

‘No apology necessary. That was amazing, Ginger. Really, truly amazing. I feel calm and relaxed, as if every muscle has been teased out and then put back to where it’s supposed to be. And I’m warm.’

‘Well, it is warm in here. Deliberately so.’ Ginger was hot, too, but it was Josh’s gaze that was doing it.

Josh rolled his head around and eased his shoulders out. ‘No, I meant it’s like an inner warmth. Like the blood is flowing more freely. Man, I feel good.’

Shania Twain’s ‘Man! I Feel Like a Woman!’ bounced, unwanted, into Ginger’s head. She stifled a jittery giggle. She was far too invested and in the most inappropriate way possible. Josh was a guest in her bed and breakfast and a reiki client. She shouldn’t be having these thoughts about him. Not only that, he was also a film star, and only here for a short while. What good would any of these chaotic feelings she was having for him, have? There would be no future. The thought of her and a Hollywood star getting together made her want to giggle some more. And she’d never been a brief fling, one-night stand sort of a girl.