Hide and Seek (10 page)

The words sunk like a rock in her stomach. Nora didn't want her to save her parents' land. She didn't want her to fight for what was right. She didn't even want her
back
.

She just wanted to get the most money for her parents, without having to bother to fly to Colorado herself.

That was what her job had become. Rarely was she working to save anything, or anyone. Her job had become about getting the largest payoff and she couldn't stomach that. Being a cash cow wasn't what she'd imagined herself doing with her life. She wanted to save forests, farms,
lives
.

Inside, she felt as if she was falling apart all over again, but difficult as it was, Elisa knew what she had to do. She had to quit.

“No,” she answered, her voice firm. When she thought about who she'd become lately, she didn't like herself. It was time to get back to being Elisa. “And I'm sorry, Nora, but I'm afraid I won't be returning to Moning and Fielding. You'll be receiving my official resignation shortly.”

She needed to start fresh. She could always put her degree to use some other way. Work for other causes that meant something. If only she could decide what those were or where she wanted to be.

And get up the nerve to show her face in public again.

“I'm very sorry to hear that, Elisa,” Nora's reply was stiff and cold. “Is there anything I can do to change your mind?”

“No. But thank you.” Elisa swallowed a final knot of uncertainty that was lodged in her throat, emotionally acknowledging that her career as an environmental lawyer was officially over, at least at Moning and Fielding. “No. Good-bye.”

Elisa hung up. Maybe she'd eventually go back to practicing law, maybe not, but it was time to move on. Once upon a time, she'd loved her job. But not anymore. She wasn't satisfied with where her life had gone thus far. It was time to make a change. She certainly could do better than fighting for huge settlements in exchange for permitting the environment to be destroyed. Moreover, she had other dreams. Maybe it was time to fulfill some of them.

But what? Right now, deciding the direction of her future seemed impossible. Nora had been right about one thing. She needed some time off and away from it all.

Elisa took a sip of tea, glancing down the dark hallway that led to where Maxim was sleeping. She really was glad Maxim was here. Glad she wasn't alone. Glad she had him as a distraction. Even glad they could finish what they started back in college.

But how was she going to handle him? She didn't want them to get carried away. She also didn't want him running away, at least not too soon. If she couldn't be more to Maxim than a woman he'd conquered, she didn't want to go there.

Maxim wanted what he couldn't have. She wanted to give it to him.

But if she did, his thirst would be quenched.

That left one solution. She'd just have to make him work for her. And once he had her, she'd have to make him work even harder to have her again.

Ah yes, she was in the mood for a little sport. A game—one that would keep her mind off her woes and make staying in control not only possible, but fun; one that would keep him interested.

Walking to the fridge, Elisa took the pad of stationery magnetized to its side and a pen from the kitchen counter.
Dear Maxim,
she wrote, then blanked. Now what? She tapped the pen against her teeth as she debated.
The best things in life are worth working for. I know how very much you want me. I want you too, like I never dreamed possible. Let's forget our stupid agreement. Forget the rules. Make new ones. A game perhaps? One of hide and seek—so come find me. I've got something special for you. It won't be easy, as nothing with me will ever be, but it will be worth it. Remember that. Elisa

Folding the letter, Elisa walked down the hall to the bathroom and took her perfume from the vanity. Spraying the paper, she smiled to herself, never feeling better about his presence or her own sexuality.

H
er
earthy, exotic scent permeated the kitchen, but Elisa was nowhere to be found. Inhaling deeply, Maxim followed his nose and wondered through the room, curious where his reluctant lover might be, and what there was to eat in this cabin other than burnt tofu.

She sure hadn't changed since college. Never could be normal.

But then, until right now, he'd always loved that about her.

His stomach growled a demand, one not even Elisa could fulfill. Apples sat in a bowl on the counter and he grabbed one, taking a huge bite. Disgustingly healthy, but better than the crap she'd fed him last night. What he needed was a nice, thick bowl of Egyptian meat soup. Maybe some beef kofta. His mouth watered at the thought of the fried minced meat and onion patties.

God, he missed home. Hearty meals. Warm weather. Willing women.

He'd settle for some milk. From the fridge, he claimed the almost empty jug and guzzled straight from the container. The rumbles in his abdomen quieted, but the dull ache of hunger persisted.

He rummaged the pathetically stocked icebox. More tofu, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, leftover rice…cheese! He claimed the block and slammed the fridge door shut. It wasn't bacon and eggs, but it would suffice.

Where was Elisa anyway? Wherever she was, he sure could smell her. He just couldn't see her.

Had his presence in her bed driven her to flee? No matter. This was her cabin. She'd be back and he'd be here—waiting in her bed.

He turned around, surprised to see a box of Cocoa Crisps sitting on the table, along with a bowl and spoon. Forget cheese! A smile spread across his face, stretching from ear-to-ear as he tossed it back in the fridge and walked into the breakfast nook. So the rabbit-woman was half-human after all. And even better, she cared enough about him to leave him something tasty to eat.

In the dish lay a note, folded neatly. Lifting it, he brought it to his nose. Ah, the source of her scent. He drew in the spicy yet feminine fragrance, then opened the letter. Reading her words, his smile broadened. His heart lifted.

Elisa
did
want him…

The promise of
something special
permeated his mind, suffused his body, filling him with longing, lust, and need. Would she suck him off? Wrap that luscious mouth around his cock and drive him insane with her tongue? Spread her legs, let him fuck her? Even better, bend over and bare all to him?

Arousal blazed through his instantly hardening cock. His body heated with the furious need for that
something special
and desire like he'd never experienced practically knocked him off his feet.

Find her? Easy. Piece of cake. He just hoped she was ready for the fuck of a lifetime.

T
hree
hours later, icicles hanging from his nose, Maxim officially dubbed
easy
a cuss word. He sniffled, his lower lips shaking in tune with his muttered foul language. He should've known…should've read her letter twice…should've taken the time to let her words completely sink in.

He really should've heeded Elisa's warnings.

Eaten a second bowl of cereal. Stolen an extra pair of her jogging pants.

“F-f-fucking cold.” Maxim eyes scanned the tall, never-ending forest of pine trees for any sign of her, slipping as the trail scooped. Using the poles to stay upright, he struggled for balance. The last thing he needed was to fall. Again.

Standing up on the damned skis wasn't easy and he'd taken them off too many times to count, choosing to wade through the knee high snow instead. For him, traveling on the sloped mountainous landscape was the equivalent of Elisa walking through the desert. But though clumsier, skiing was faster and he always ended up trying again, desperate to find her.

“Th-h-his is crazy.”

He'd searched the inside of her house first, foolishly hoping she'd have been kind enough not to drive him outside again. Then he'd donned his skis and combed the area surrounding the cabin. She'd been nowhere in sight, forcing him to take the trail leading away from the cabin in hopes of finding her.

Now, he was pretty sure his lips were frostbitten, his balls were ice cubes, and he knew he was lost. His earlier hard-on had melted, his hopes of
something special
withered away.

He slipped again, grappling for the poles. Where did she get off teasing him like this? Getting his hopes up, only to smash them down?

A bear in him rose up and he growled, thinking if he found Elisa now, there'd be no stopping the animal in him. Fuck her rules, fuck proving himself, because he'd long since earned the right to fuck her.

As if in divine answer, her soft, melodic voice reached out and snagged his attention. “Hey, little guy,” she cooed. “You like your nuts?”

Huh? Of course he liked his nuts, though currently they were swollen from days of built up need, inflicted by her. And what did she mean, “little?”

The cold must be making him delirious.

“Come here. Come on, come on…that's it…”

He followed her voice, not able to see her, though from the closeness of her voice, it sounded as if she were right there. His eyes searched the woods. To his surprise, while he didn't spot her, he saw the distant shape of her cabin in a clearing about two hundred yards ahead. Hallelujah! He was going to sit right in the fireplace…and the box of Cocoa Crisps was
his
!

“I think I'll call you Mr. Hungry.” Her voice echoed with laughter. “You sure do like your nuts.”

What?
Of course he was hungry. Famished.
Starved
. He had her tofu-ass to thank for that. And he'd never met a man who didn't appreciate his nuts…

But what game was she playing now?

Another bout of laughter filled the air. He whirled around, trying to pinpoint where the sound came from. Nothing.

Damn it.

“Want more, Mr. Hungry?”

Despite how freaking cold he was, the sound of her sweet voice talking about nuts sent a streak of heat through his loins. His cock fought against the confines of his snow pants, insisting upon standing upright, at attention.

For a woman he could only hear, not see.

Where the heck was she? Was he imagining her?

He had to be. She'd driven him to insanity. He was imagining an oasis in the middle of the damned mountains.

“Hey, squirrelly squirrel. Come back here, Mr. Hungry!” she pleaded loudly. “Darn it! Don't leave me!” A frustrated sigh followed. “Alone again.”

This time, he placed the sound of her very real voice. She was underneath him.

He should be committed.

“Elisa?” he called out.

“Maxim?”

No way. She really
was
below him.

Reaching down, Maxim unfastened his ski boots and stepped free. He strode to the edge of the trail, looking down the sloped mountain side. Sure enough, a deep, dark cave was tucked into the hill.

On a large rock, Elisa sat in the cave's mouth, staring up at him. A slight smile curved her lips, marking her humor at the situation. “You found me. About time.”

About time? The woman had no idea what she did to him.

“Damn right, about time,” he growled, all too ready to devour her. “You were hiding from me.”

“Hence me calling the game hide and seek.” She shrugged. “I said it wouldn't be easy. I think you looked too hard.”

Maxim scoped the area for a way to reach her, and decided no path was better than straight down. He threw himself over the edge, landing on his hands and feet right in front of her.

“You made it impossible.” Standing, he brushed snow from his gloved hands and stared at her hard, expecting some sort of explanation. An apology. “And what the hell do you mean by little nuts?”

“I was talking to the squirrels, silly.” She raised a brow, looking guiltless. “And you found me, didn't you?”

Did Elisa have no clue what she'd put him through? What he was going to do to her now that he'd found her? Finally!

Whipping off his gloves, he walked toward her. “I want my something special. Now.”

M
axim—”
Elisa barely eked out the futile protest. A determined man, he stalked toward her, his jaw clenched, a certain glint to his eyes, a rage—spurred by her sexual starvation—that could not be controlled.

Tiny icicles hung from his nose, snow clinging to his shaggy hair. He looked almost mad, like a rabid animal attacking prey.

Oh dear. She was in real trouble. She'd pushed him too far this time…there was no way she'd get away with giving him a simple hand job to fulfill her promise of
special
.

When she'd invented the game, she'd decided the best way to go about it would be to let him climb a ladder: a hand job, a blow job, actual sex, then more complicated positions. Such a lead-on would keep him around for weeks, but she was never going to get away with her plan.

Even if she could stop him, she couldn't stop herself.

“Maxim, you look like you're freezing. Let me…”
Warm you up.
Not exactly what she meant, though she wasn't positive he'd appreciate her pocket warmers. He had something else in mind for heat.

Elisa swallowed the offer, well aware of how sexy her innocent suggestion sounded. She took a step back.

“You'll be my heat,” he ground out, taking her by the shoulders and lifting her to her feet. His fingers clenched her jacket, holding her dangerously close to his body, a kiss lingering in the air.

Too easy.

Wrenching away, she sidestepped him, though she knew he'd catch her. Knew he'd take her. Knew she wouldn't do a damn thing to stop it.

But at least she could enjoy the chase. Taking off running, she darted into the woods with him right on her tail.

“Hey! Don't think you're getting away from me this easily!” He lunged for her, but she quickly turned away. Tripping, he landed face-first in the snow.

“If you want me, you've got to catch me!” She kept right on running, not slowly for a second.

He growled in protest and she laughed, feeling as if someone was tickling her from the inside out. Having Maxim pursue her was more arousing than having her clit sucked.

Though, damn she couldn't wait for him to do that either.

Pure, unadulterated excitement fluttered in her stomach, arousal making her hot.

In no time, Maxim was on his feet again and coming after her at full speed. He closed the distance between them in half a heartbeat. Encircling his arms around her waist, he hulled her against him.

Her feet dangled in the air as she struggled,
caught
. His mouth went right for her neck, kissing and suckling. Driving her crazy.

“You forget the rules, Maxim,” she told him, leaning forward in a feeble attempt to put some space between them. “You forget yourself.”

Suddenly, every breath she took, every brush of the fabric covering her skin, even the slight movement of the thin strap of the silk thong nestled between her ass cheeks, seemed intensely erotic. Elisa sucked in a sharp breath, never more aware of a man's mouth on her.

“You threw them out, remember?” He caught her arm and whirled her around, yanking her against his chest. Driving her backward, he pinned her against a tree. His body smashed hers and he yanked off her knit hat. Her hair fell free and the wind blew the long locks between them. Winding the stray strands around his fingers, he brushed her cheeks with his knuckles. “And you promised something special when I found you. I want it. Now.”

Tucking her hair away, he pinned her arms above her head, his erection pressed against her upper thigh, prominent despite the thick pants she wore. He ground his lower half against her.

“Feel that?” He pressed into her once again. “I
want
what I'm due.”

Elisa shuddered. “But I didn't say what. Now did I?”

Innocently, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Oh, she was having fun. Damn, she was turned on.

He cupped her cheek in an almost endearing manner. “Well, I found you. So give.”

Roughly pumping his cock against her cunt, he stroked his fingers across her jaw to her lips, toying with the plump flesh.

The combination of savage and sweet left her speechless. “I—”

“Tell me what the
something special
is, before I take it,” he demanded.