Hide and Seek (18 page)

But she couldn't.

Lizzy was right. Now was the time. She had nothing better to do and nothing holding her back. Maybe she wasn't as into the idea as she'd once been, but she was certain the Peace Corps could really use her. Not to mention that it would take her away from all her problems.

But also Lizzy.

And Maxim.

The thought made her heart stop beating. She sucked in a sharp breath. Jesus. What was wrong with her, thinking like that? She was nowhere near prepared to give up her dreams for a man-slut.

Forcing herself not to even consider such a thing, she took another turn. “Let's just play and drink and laugh. I can figure out the next decade of my life later.” She laid down a set of threes and smiled at Lizzy. “But thank you, dear, for the reminder about the Peace Corps. It means a lot to me.”

“I know it does. Not that I want to see you go. Hey, if Maxim can keep you around, I may just grow to think he's good for you.”

“Don't say that. I think you must've drunk too much already.” Elisa took a big gulp herself. “But I'm just getting started.”

And she meant it. Screw going home tonight. Right now, the last thing she wanted to do was think sensibly. Her mind was a wreck and the quickest escape she could think of was getting wrecked.

Life was too complicated. She liked living near Lizzy and the idea of traveling the world no longer appealed. She
should
want to join up, but deep down, she didn't.

God help her, but this past week, she wanted…everything she shouldn't.

To her shock, Lizzy suddenly laid down her whole hand, including a royal flush and set of aces. A brilliant smile dazzled her face. “I'm out. What luck I have. I win!”

Elisa eyed her cards. Several of them had bent corners. The cheat! “Hey, they're marked!”

“How else would I win?” Lizzy laughed. “Now pay up!”

T
he
delicious scent of eggs, bacon, and coffee roused Maxim from his deep sleep. Tossing over on the hard floor, he sniffed once, twice…Nope, it wasn't a fantasy. He smelled
real
breakfast.

Stiff and sore, he pulled himself up and wrapped his arms around himself. A shudder wracked his body. But damn, it was cold. He'd fallen asleep with the light on, but outside, it was still black as night. And snowing. Again.

“H-have m-m-mercy,” he chattered under his breath. The sun hadn't even risen and already she was driving him from bed…er—the floor. That woman. “C-can't she ever be normal? L-lazy?”

He shook off the urge to dive into the bed under the warm covers, curl into a ball, and dream about food instead of actually eating it. But his stomach growled its demand, leaving him no choice. He tugged a blanket free and wrapped it around his shoulders, sluggishly dragging his feet from the room.

For Elisa's sake, it better still be night, because if it were morning, he was pissed. Going to bed before dawn was a feat for him, but he
never
started his day before the sun rose. Not even for her.

Yeah right,
the devilish little cupid that had taken up residence in his mind nagged him,
you'd chop wood and work like a slave at daybreak, starving and cold, just to please her.

And that was what he wanted more than anything. To please her.

He groaned, every limb of his body aching with the desire to fall to the bed. But he wouldn't.

The ugly truth was, cupid was right. Elisa had him by the balls. He'd do anything to prove himself to her. That didn't mean he was in love though. Of course not.

Right.

The fulfilling aroma wafting through the cabin drew him to the kitchen like a magnet to steel. The smell could only mean only one thing: Elisa was home, ergo, he'd completely missed the trip to Aspen. Not to mention clothes. Steak. Beer. Television.

Why him?

Half-asleep, he stumbled down the hall and into the kitchen. Elisa sat in the breakfast nook, sipping from a steaming mug and reading the paper.

Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her skin was still fresh and dewy from a recent shower, and she wore a snuggly blue robe that reminded him of her beautiful eyes. What's more, she had food. Real, honest food.

She looked so cozy. Cuddly. Lovable.

“Good morning.” She looked up at him with a dubious smile. “Would you like breakfast?”

Jesus! Her eyes were bloodshot, her face, pale as a ghost's.

Had she gotten drunk? Slept at all?

A knot tightened in his abdomen. What had she been doing all night…without him?

It wasn't fair! It wasn't right!

“You have to ask? You know I'm starving to death.” He glared at her, wanting to gauge her reaction. “I'm surprised you can hold anything down.”

An irritated sigh escaped her. “Yes, Maxim. I got drunk. I was up all night long, got two hours of sleep, then skied home like a nut in the snow when I should have stayed in bed until noon, so you didn't have to worry and could have breakfast. You're welcome.” She returned her attention to the paper. “The food is on the stove. Help yourself.”

“Great,” he replied blandly. “Just great.”

Got drunk with who?
he wanted to ask.

He wasn't a jealous man. And hell, he despised a jealous woman—possessiveness sure didn't go over well when he had a female on each arm.

But seeing her eyes red from a night of fun without him had him ready to stomp his feet and throw a temper tantrum.

It
really
wasn't fair!

Why was this happening to him?

He clomped over to the stove. That he hadn't got to go to Aspen, nor the ugly fact that she'd had fun without him, wasn't what bothered him the most. Elisa had left here last night without a care. She didn't miss him. She hadn't even considered bringing him along. She'd enjoyed being away from him last night, while she'd danced through his every dream, plagued his every thought. And that stung.

He wouldn't have left her.

He pulled out a plate from the cabinet. Plopping the eggs onto his plate—all of them—he muttered under his breath.

“Are you actually pouting?” Elisa turned in her chair to stare at him, one brow raised.

“No.” He took six slices of bacon, dropped his plate on the counter, and began shoving food in with his hands. The sooner he ate, the sooner he could go back to bed.

With a chuckle, Elisa abandoned her chair and came up behind him, molding her body against his. She rested her chin on his shoulder. “What's the matter?”

Instant sparks shot through him. What was this insane power she had over him?

“Nothing,” he grunted, shoving more food in his mouth.

He shouldn't feel the way he felt and he didn't want to…

All along he'd known Elisa was more than a fuck. But that didn't mean he wanted to turn into some love-struck fool that lost all sense.

When he'd come to the States in search of her, he hadn't known why, he'd simply needed to be with her, if for only a moment in time.

More than a moment had passed.

He'd already overstayed his welcome and he should go home. Elisa would probably jump for joy at the prospect. She obviously didn't feel the way he felt about her. They had no future together. The longer he stuck around, the more he set himself up for a hard fall. He couldn't play her game anymore. He didn't want to.

Besides, he did have a life of his own and it was time he took charge of it. Being around Elisa made him realize one thing: he was wasting his life. He wanted—no needed—to change that.

“I'm leaving today.” He told her between bites, his words muffled from his chewing. “I'm sure my mother is having a fit. She's been left to manage my work all this time. I need to get back.”

“What?” Her voice was cold. Angry. “You're leaving?”

“Well, why not? You don't care.”

Chomp, chomp, chomp.

“Oh.” Her hands fell away from him. She stepped back and was quiet for a moment. When she spoke again, her words were soft. “We haven't finished playing our game, that's why.”

Her reply gave him pause and he dropped his bacon. He'd expected rejoicing from her…not disappointment.

“I didn't think you cared.”

“I do.”

Her voice was firm. Almost desperate.

“Okay.” He rested his hands on the counter's edge, cupid screaming
stay, stay, stay
at him, while reason begged to differ. Swallowing the apprehension lodged in his throat, he nodded. “If that's what you want.”

What was he doing? Two words from her and his whole mind-set changed?
Way to be strong, Maxim.

He really should go. Today. Now. If he didn't…he was in trouble.

Correction, he already was.

She closed the distance between them, pressing her body to his. Her face lay between his shoulder blades and her hands encircled his hips, the embrace so tender, so sweet.

She trailed her fingers along his biceps.

“I want you to eat your fill, my strong man. You're going to have a busy day,” she murmured, as if her words were innocent, and not the threat they truly were; a whole different ball game from her actions.

This time, he knew she wasn't referring to sex.

Damn it.

“Oh yeah?” he asked stiffly. “What do you have in store for me?”

“I think we'll have fish for dinner. And you'll catch it.”

Double damn it.

“That a fact?” Dropping the blanket around his shoulders, he turned, circled his arms around her, and grabbed her by the rear end. Drawing her to him, his fingers gripping her bottom through her thick robe, he backed her up to the counter opposite of them. His hips ground into hers. “And then we'll have sex?”

His cock turned to instant steel and he pressed it between her legs. She placed two hands to his chest, pushing him back in an attempt to keep some distance between them. Distance he wouldn't accept. He pumped his hips.

She gave up fighting him and relaxed, rolling her hips against his. The clever gleam in her eyes shouted “you're in trouble!”

“Right after you find me. That's how the game works.” Her nails played over his bare chest, twisting in the tiny hairs and driving him crazy. “And of course, when you do, you can use me—however you'd like.”

“I never did use my toy of choice from yesterday. Aren't I still owed that?”

“Who needs toys? We have our bodies.” Her fingers traveled south, cupping his balls. She pressed her thumb to the tender area at the back of his erection. “This is all I need. But if you want a toy, go for it.”

Maxim groaned with need. Fishing?

What choice did he have? Yesterday's tasks hadn't been fun, grant you, but not all that difficult either. The sex, however…

Praise the heavens, the sex had been mind-blowing. Unbelievable. Exhausting. So totally worth it.

What was catching a fish or two? Simple really.

But if he was going to stay, to continue to play her game, he wouldn't be shut out anymore. Elisa had been aloof long enough. He wanted something from her he'd yet to receive and it didn't involve toys. His request was…simple really.

He cupped her chin and lifted her face, bringing her lips a hairsbreadth from his. “I don't want a toy. I want a blow job, a good one. I want you to swallow my whole cock, all the way to my balls, until I come. I want you to kiss me. To make love to me with your mouth,” he told her, his voice unyielding. “But that's not all. I want you to talk to me. To give me some answers.”

She shrugged. “I can talk.”

“I want to know what you plan to do once you leave this cabin. What you want to do with your life.” His thumb stroked her cheek. “What it'll take to get you to come to Egypt.”

She gave a little jerk, freeing herself from him. She focused on the floor. “We're playing for sex, not a future.”

What?
Why did she refuse to tell him?

“It's an uncomplicated question—don't complicate it. You refuse to open up to me at all. I'd at least like a reason. For hell's sake, Elisa, is everything between us
nothing
to you?”

She brushed past him. “Forget it. Let's not get all emotionally involved, okay, Maxim?”

“No. Caring about you isn't getting ‘emotionally involved.'” Maxim caught her by the arm, whirling her around and yanking her against him. “So agree to my terms or forget your fish.”

C
aring
about her wasn't getting emotionally involved? Then what did he call it?

“No fish, no sex.” She shrugged. “Your loss.”

“You forget, Elisa. I'm the one who came all the way from
Egypt
for you. I'm the one who pleasured you for days without taking for myself. I can wait. You however, are very eager.” He hauled her closer, his erection nudging her pussy through her robe. “You won't just be denying me, but yourself.”

Sensation shot through her, blurring her mind. Her cunt was already wet as could be, yet she felt her need gush from her at his rough touch.

“Oh really?” she ground out.

Fuck. She hated to be wrong…and that she'd become so very weak-willed.

Her head pounded from a hangover and too much to deal with. Worse, at such an inopportune time, her libido was raging like she was in heat. Even now, she wanted him so much she was sweating.

If she didn't play his game, she'd give in. He'd win. She'd lose.

And more than just a blow job.

The ground she held with him, her very heart, was at stake. Sure, obliging him was taking a chance, but denying him was an even greater one.

Besides, there
were
things about him she was curious to discover and in the interest of playing fair…

“Fish for sex,” she reiterated, her voice firm. “Answers for answers.”

He immediately looked nervous. “What is that supposed to mean?”

She looked him dead in the eye. “I'll answer your question, but I want to know what your deal is. Why you've avoided a relationship for so long. Maxim, I want to know the truth. The real you.”

By no means was the trade fair. She was sharing her job interests, but asking him to divulge his deepest secrets. But that was the way of it.