Hide and Seek (14 page)

“I heard that!” Elisa called from the next room. “You don't want to make me mad, now do you?”

T
he'd
half expected him to leave, to at least put up some resistance; but to comply so easily?

He had to have better things in his life to do than struggle to please her. Forget
things
, he had better women—more willing women to be precise—at his disposal. Why her? And what about his job? How could anyone just leave his life behind as he had? Wasn't he worried? Concerned about his hotel?

That was the thing about Maxim. He didn't stress over anything. He did what he wanted…and apparently that was
her
at the moment.

From the window, Elisa watched Maxim haul a large piece of round oak to the chopping block, then raise the axe high. He swung hard, knocking the wood in two. Favoring his left shoulder, he picked the sections and threw them on the stack, then retrieved another log.

Despite the fact that he'd hurt himself falling from the stool, he was moving quickly. Too quickly.

He'd be through that pile in an hour. That didn't leave her much time to implement the next stage of her “prove how much you want me” plan.

And yet, she was enjoying the view far too much to budge. He looked so strong. Resilient. Tough.
Pure male
. Even injured, he was fighting, fast and furiously, to have her.

He was nothing like the man she'd believed him to be.

A little drop of drool threatened to slide from her smile and she swallowed, loving it as he swung the axe again. Too bad it wasn't summer and he wasn't shirtless, but even with his padded clothing, witnessing
him
—rich, spoiled, womanizing Maxim—chop wood was distractingly sexy.

Was he really so determined? She couldn't believe he was actually doing it. He wasn't just working—something she wondered if he were capable of—he was proving himself to her through and through. And earning her.

If she based the outcome on yesterday when he'd found her, there was no doubt left. After all she was putting him through, he'd want
full
payment.

E
lisa!”
Maxim shouted from directly behind her. “
Elisa!
”

Maxim was right—skis were clumsy and slow. And since when was he such an expert on them?

She'd barely set off into the woods and already he was closing in on her fast. Worse, he'd spotted her. In all fairness, she should probably forfeit. After all, the game was for him to find her, not chase her down like a fox after a rabbit.

But where was the fun in being caught five minutes after leaving the cabin?

Damn it, she shouldn't have drooled over the sight of him chopping wood for so long.

No, she should have recorded it.

She topped another hill, flying through the air and landing safely, at least for about three seconds, before she caught sight of the sudden drop off looming in front of her.
Oh no!
Elisa twisted her skis to the left and dug her poles into the snow-covered ground, barely escaping a plunge over the edge.

Holy shit!
Where had that come from?

She stared down, not knowing what to do. Her heart pounded in excitement and her breath came in heavy pants. Blood pumped through her veins so furiously, her skin heated.

In her excitement, she must have taken the wrong path. This certainly wasn't the awe-inspiring clearing with a guaranteed perfect view of the sunset she'd intended to lead Maxim to, hoping for a peaceful moment between the two of them.

This was a dead end. The jagged mountainside practically dropped away, creating a gorge with steep sides littered with half-grown, spindly pine trees and hints of dangerous rocks peeking from beneath the blanket of snow. Excellent skier that she was, she doubted her ability to successfully navigate the slope.

What's more, she knew damn good and well Maxim couldn't.

He might roll down the hazardous incline, but no way could he ski it. Likely he wouldn't even try. Not with his luck on skis.

His loud whoop broke the air. She jerked her head up, knowing she had to make some sort of decision. He was so close, she could hear the sliding of his skis in the snow.

“Elisa, baby, don't you dare move!” he called. “You're mine!”

This chase was far too thrilling to end now.

At least, that's what she told herself.

She felt cornered. Trapped. She wasn't just fleeing from Maxim, but reality. If he caught her, if he proved himself, how could she possibly continue to pretend? She couldn't.

Deep down, she knew all her promises to herself were fleeting. Maxim was forcing her to face things she'd already dealt with. Handled. She hadn't dreamt he'd go this far and now that he had, she was in serious trouble. She couldn't resist him…physically or emotionally.

She just didn't know what to do. How to face the truth settling in around her.

“Oh, what the heck!” With a shift of her poles, Elisa threw caution to the wind and leapt into the chasm.

A second later—the direct result of her ski catching on a hidden rock—
she
was rolling. Tumbling and catapulting downward, her feet locking together, her body ramming into the surprisingly hard ground despite the fluffy blanket that covered it.

Distantly, she heard Maxim follow her into the gorge, his curses echoing off the mountainside.

Oh God. What had they gotten themselves into?

Talk about a stupid decision. Dying wasn't worth a thrill…wasn't worth escaping him. Didn't she secretly want him to catch her anyway?

Dumb, dumb, dumb…

“Uff!” Butt-first, Elisa slammed into a small pine tree, her descent brought to an end. She barely caught her breath and lifted her head before she realized that Maxim was skiing
directly
toward her.

“Oh no!” she squealed. “Maxim!”

“Watch out!”

Where was she supposed to
go
? Down? No thank you…as a rule, she never made the same mistake twice.

Except when it came to men.

“Whoa!” Struggling to keep his balance, Maxim opened his legs, so not to hit her head on. He stretched his hands out and caught the top of the pine tree, halting his flight. The action thrust his hips into her face, his groin knocking her backward.

“Caught ya.” He chuckled, rolling off her.

“That wasn't pretty.” Riddled with so many aches and pains that she felt like she'd been hit by a bus, Elisa moaned.

The only thing keeping both of them from plummeting to the bottom of the gorge was a pathetic baby pine and with their combined weights, the tree's strength wouldn't hold out long. They needed to regain control of the situation and fast.

Elisa attempted to sit up, but her skis locked with his, preventing her from moving far. “Damn.”

Maxim reached down, untangling the mess. “What were you thinking?”

“Thinking?” She followed his lead, freeing her feet, and scooting so her feet propped against the pine's base. “Was I?”

“Probably too much. Like always.” He moved behind her and attempted to gain a footing on the hill, but he quickly slipped, landing on his knees.”

“Hey,” she protested. “Be nice!”

“Nice? Like you?” He tried to stand again and slipped. “Shit!” Giving up, he sat down in the snow and scooted behind her, claiming the tree she braced herself with. His arms enveloped her waist and drew her onto his lap, hugging her tight.

“I'm always nice,” she protested.

“You made me chop wood!”

“You want to stay warm, don't you?”

“Oh, so that's the way of it?” He nuzzled her ear. “Far as I'm concerned, you're all the warmth I need.”

Elisa battled shivers as he licked along her jaw line. His mouth pressed firmly to her cheek, wetting her cold skin, the kiss so simple, yet so sensual. “Your silly chores are worth it though, this ridiculous fall too, as long as I can carry you off to our rug and have my way for several hours.”

“Provided we can get out of the gorge.” Another shudder racked her body, her nerves crawling with excitement, the sensation whirling through her body like a storm, wetting her in an area that didn't need to be wet while they were in the woods, about to roll to their deaths on a very steep incline. Couldn't he give seducing her a break?

But despite herself, she leaned into his decadent mouth, welcoming more.

“You got us into it this mess, baby. Assuming you can get us out.” His breath blew across her nerve-ignited cheek as he spoke. “You know, finding you was a piece of cake.”

“Not fair. I never really got to hide.” The weakened pine tree started to give way and she felt herself sliding. “Uh, Maxim? I think—”

“Shhh…you'll be fine. I got you. And forget hiding.” He scooted her further on his lap, right atop his cock. “Far as I'm concerned, now that I've caught you, you're mine, to take
however
I please.”

An anxious flutter tickled her stomach. “Oh, and how is that?”

“A little spanking may be in order after the way you've behaved.” His left hand roamed along her thigh, stroking the side of her ass. “I definitely want to slide my cock into that tight bottom of yours.”

The flutter burst into a full outbreak of nervous trembling. “B-but—” Her stuttered reaction dropped like pebbles rolling down a hill, disappearing into thin air. She was speechless.

Never had a man spoken of such things so bluntly to her. And while she'd experienced anal sex before, never had a man laid a hand to her bottom.

Her pussy swelled, welcoming the thought.
Eager
.

Just knowing he
might
do such things to her suddenly had her so physically excited, she couldn't think straight.

So much for her being the dominant partner.

His hand squeezed her bottom firmly through her thick clothing. “Don't worry, I'll make sure you enjoy both,” he whispered in her ear.

“You will?” She gulped. She felt them slide a small fraction downward. Maxim dug in his heels, but that didn't make her feel better. They were so going to end up at the bottom of this hill. This slope was going to spank the both of them.

His arms tightened around her, practically squeezing her breathless. “Why the fear? Don't you trust me yet, Elisa?”

“Not particularly, no.”

She wanted to. She even thought she might. But she knew better. Men like Maxim were not the type to put faith in, except maybe when it came to matters of the bedroom.

“Why?”

“Your history…” she began and then changed her mind. “You've never given me any reason to.”

“Do you think I'll hurt you?” he asked in a gentle voice.

Yes. When you decide you're done with me. When you sleep with another woman. Or two. Or three. Or twenty.

But she couldn't admit that. Couldn't confess that the biggest reason his flings made her so angry was pure, unadulterated, unreasonable jealousy.

The insane desire to be the only female he'd
ever
wanted, from yesterday into eternity.

“Yes. No.” She swallowed again. “Let's just say that you're slowly winning my confidence.”

He chuckled lightly. “And you're slowly winning my h—”

His words fell away, once again, but her mind easily filled in the blanks.
Heart
. Is that what he almost said?

“What?” she questioned, oddly wishing he'd finish his sentence. Bombard her with sweet bullshit nothings. Lie if he must. She wanted him to say it.
Love.

Even if he didn't mean it, part of her wanted to hear it. Oh God. She was lost.

“Nothing.”

Awkward silence fell around them. For several moments they just sat there, his embrace around her midsection tight, though the connection between them suddenly felt as if it stretched between two planets.

They lived in different worlds. Their lives were dissimilar, their personalities, night and day.

So why did it keep feeling like they were meant to be one?

She coughed, clearing the air. “Well, how are we going to get back up?”

“I guess, Elisa, you're going to have to trust me.”

Fifteen minutes later, still cradling her like a baby, he had her safely away from the canyon as promised and practically swooning with
trust
.

M
y
shoulder is killing me. I don't know if I can even spank you. First my fall from the stool earlier, then chopping the wood and then our tumble…” Maxim moaned and groaned, feeling like he had been hit by a train. Belly down, he stretched on her plush, queen-sized bed, his toy of choice—a small but effective one—clutched in his hand and hidden from her eyes.

The delicious scent of hot cocoa filled the air as Elisa carried the tray to the nightstand and set it down. She sat next to him, her hand lying on his ass. She patted his bare butt affectionately.

“Oh, what a shame,” she cooed. “No spanking. Whatever shall I do with myself this afternoon?”

“You know you want it.”

“Oh?” She gave his ass a sudden, sharp smack. “Perhaps I shall spank you.”

Maxim chuckled. He didn't think so. After carrying her out of that canyon and half the way home, he
deserved
to spank her sweet ass. He'd earned it—and he intended to cash out. Soon as he felt like moving.

He stretched again, wanting a sip of the cocoa, but feeling too lazy to even reach for it. “Massage me.”

“With a dildo?” She chuckled, pressing her fingers into his crack and dangerously close to his rectum.

An awakening zap of arousal shot through his body and his cock jerked at the touch.

“No, smart-ass. With your hands.” Uncomfortable, he quickly shifted away from her daring hand. “Does everything have to be about sex with you?”

“Me!”

Scooting down on the mattress, he forced her hand higher on his back. “Besides, I've already made my choice from the toy box while you were showering and making our drinks.”

“Oh?” Elisa raised a brow, more curious at his reaction to her probing than what toy he may have picked. Again, she slid her hand south, over his firm, well-defined buttocks, and kneaded. “I think you liked that, didn't you?”

“I think
you'll
like these.” Turning his hand over, he opened his palm, revealing a string of three vaginal beads, each plum-colored, egg-shaped, and about two inches in diameter, connected by a smooth cord.