Hide and Seek (19 page)

He blinked slowly. A little muscle in his cheek spasmed. “I don't—”

“I won't budge. Take it or leave it.”

He was silent a moment, and for effect, she reached down and cupped his cock. She squeezed gently. “An awful lot to swallow, but I'm sure I can handle all of you.”

A sharp breath escaped him. “You are one tough negotiator.”

“Damn right.”

He released her and stepped back, a lopsided smile on his whiskered face. “Remind me to have you haggle for my next car. I could probably trade a Chevy for a Lamborghini with the way you bargain.”

Elisa's heart kicked in her chest. The way he said that—like she'd be around for car purchases. Like they had a future.

They didn't, damn it.

Did they?

She dropped his prick like it was poison and turned away. “Is the game on or not?”

“You're on, angel, but you better be careful. You've no idea who you're toying with.” He wiggled his brows at her. “Now, where's the fishing pole?”

C
ould
fish smell? Maybe he stunk. Maybe something was wrong with his hook.

Maybe she'd deliberately set him up to fail.

One thing was for certain; catching fish wasn't as easy as it sounded. Not when the creek was frozen and his only bait was some sort of neon purple jelly-like plastic that wouldn't sink in the water. Who would want to bite that? Not him. And apparently not the fish in this creek.

Relentless snow once again dumped down on the earth like Mother Nature was trying to bury him alive in her bad dandruff, combined with a bone-chilling breeze that made his insides shiver. He knew Aspen was regaled for its winter weather and sports, but come on already. This was ridiculous. Who actually wanted to live like this?

“Elisa,” he muttered to himself. “On-only Elisa.”

Because naturally, she wanted everything out of life that he didn't.

He just couldn't imagine how there could ever be a “them”…how their worlds could ever connect.

Maxim wriggled his cold nose and sniffled, turning so the wind-whipped snow hit his back, rather than the delicate, chapped skin of his face. According to his watch, he'd been fishing for
two hours
.
Two miserable, shivering hours
in which he'd had too much time to think. To ponder on how he would reveal his deepest, darkest secrets to Elisa. If he wanted to. If he even
could
.

He never talked about his brother, not with anyone, not even his parents. Years had passed, but he still avoided the topic as if speaking about it would cause his tongue to swell in pain, because the memories plain hurt too much.

What's more, he was terrified once he got started, he'd pour his heart out. Make a fool of himself…start sniveling and all that bullshit.

Did he really want to let a female—even Elisa—have access to that part of him? He'd kept it hidden for a reason and maybe he should leave it that way.

Why did he need to know what she wanted to do with her life anyway? Her plans hardly affected him. For Pete's sake, he wasn't marrying her.

But
…

Shut up, stupid cupid!

Maxim reeled in his line. The water at this spot was too shallow and his patience was wearing thin. He walked west, searching along the slippery bank for a deeper spot and a deeper meaning to life.

Bottom line, he had no desire to settle down, but the thought of going home to an endless string of one-night stands and partying didn't appeal either. Though he longed to return to Cairo, he also wanted to be with Elisa.

Somewhere along the line, he'd convinced himself that if he could find employment for her in Egypt, then he could keep her close to him. Perhaps forever wasn't in the cards, but he couldn't bear the thought of them living on opposite sides of the world. Of never seeing her again.

The creek widened and he set his gear on the pebbled bank.
Huh.
Maybe a stone would help get his bait below the surface. Selecting a small one, he weighed it in his palm. Couldn't hurt to try.

Close to the hook, he wrapped the fishing line around the rock in several directions and then tied it in a knot. He weighed it again. Perfect. He hoped. Hesitant but desperate, he stepped onto the ice.

“C-come on, b-b-baby, come on,” he pleaded with the fishing god as he kicked at the frozen layer blocking the rushing water, throwing all his power into breaking the ice. Though the first several spots hadn't even yielded a minnow, this one had to contain some sort of life, and he was determined to get to it.

Suddenly, the barrier cracked and gave way, along with the ice under his feet.
Oh shit!
He leapt to the snow-covered bank, half sliding back into the creek before he regained his footing.

Elisa was going to get him killed.

But not before he got his blow job. The busted ice floated downstream and he stared at his new fishing hole, rather pleased with himself.

“Oh y-yeah, angel.” He rubbed his hands together and grabbed his pole. “R-r-ready or not, h-here I come.”

With that, he crossed his toes and dunked his fishing line in the opening.

“C-come on f-fishy, fishies, Maxim needs to get l-laid,” he chattered. No bites came, even after several minutes of pleading, and his mind wandered to the hotel and his mother.

He couldn't stay in the States forever. In fact, he was being incredibly careless, and for once, he didn't want to be.

Elisa was an incredible, strong woman and being with her was changing him. Making him desire more out of life.

Sure, his mother was managing the hotel, but she had other businesses to attend to. She couldn't cover him forever and he didn't want to imagine the way his father was cussing him right now.

His dad was all business, no play, not ever…not even when Keaton had died. Maxim had always despised him for that, but for once, he was a little angry at himself for the way he constantly disappointed his parents. This time he'd gone too far for too long.

He needed, hell, for once
wanted
, to get back to his responsibilities.

As if someone upstairs agreed, the line jerked then bowed. “Whoa!”

A bite, finally! Maxim vigorously reeled his fish in, unable to contain the little dance his feet did.
Oh yeah! Oh baby! I'm gonna get some body heat! A blow job! Oh yeah! Oh baby!

He caught the slimy wet fish by the tail. It immediately slipped from his fingers and nearly flopped away from him. He quickly seized it in a firmer grip, got out the wire cutters and pulled out the hook. Elisa better be ready to pay up and big time.

Pay up. Shoot. The other half of the deal…

Their talk he could happily forgo. Maybe instead of worrying about what she wanted to do, he'd offer Elisa a million bucks to come live in Egypt. What woman wouldn't take a million bucks?

Elisa.

Well, maybe if it were for some charity. But not him.

Wait! Hold the fish! A charity! That was it!

Grinning ear to ear, he held his catch in the air, whooping at the top of his lungs, for the world to hear.

Fuck yeah! He had a plan, and for once, a good one. Forget all this sharing and talking crap. He was taking Elisa home with him to Cairo. With what he had to offer, he knew she couldn't say no.

T
o
her hiding place sucked. Maybe it wasn't exactly original.

Okay. It was the same exact cave where she'd hidden the last time.

Elisa sneezed, sniffling uncomfortably. “God!”

She hadn't thought to bring any Kleenex and Maxim was taking forever to find her. She'd figured her plan could go either way: either he'd never consider looking in the same spot twice or it would be the first place he came.

She'd misjudged him, because it appeared to be the former. She'd sat here for hours feeding the squirrels and was darn close to wiping her nose on her sleeve, something she hadn't done since she was five. Last night, she hadn't had much sleep—barely two hours worth—and her head was still pounding from the hangover. Her throat was starting to hurt. Her nose was stuffy. It was all she could do not to curl up in a ball and go to sleep in the snow. She never should have skied home in the snow. She never should have started this stupid game again. Now she might freeze to death before he found her.

“Where are you already?” she whined, wishing he could hear her.

Sniffling again, she commanded herself to hang on. He'd get here soon and she was primed and ready for the truth about Maxim Cox. The reason behind his female escapades. And he wasn't getting his blow job or his answers until she received it.

Elisa stood up and walked from the cave, scanning the woods. Nothing. Not even a bird in sight. Everyone but her was warmly tucked away.

Wind blew snow in her face and she shuddered. The storm was really wailing and she was feeling sicker by the second. Worse, the silence surrounding her gave her too much time to think and ponder things she'd rather avoid, like her porn star status and worried sister. Maxim and the love she did
not
feel for him. Joining the Peace Corps.

Oddly, she didn't want to sign up. She
should
, but deep in her heart, it didn't feel right.

But neither did working at a hotel with a man she…did
not
…love.

Without warning, several violent sneezes escaped her, making her head jerk with their rhythm. Suddenly, her world felt blurry and strange. She stood and stumbled, instantly knowing she needed to get back to the cabin, that she didn't just fell unwell…she felt wrong.

She took a step and everything began to whirl. Losing her balance, she fell to her knees, and a curtain fell over her consciousness, black claiming her.

T
he
music carried through the woods, prickling his every last nerve. She was home? Inside? Warm? Listening to an old eighties Madonna song? While he was out here struggling to find her?

Someone needed another spanking.

As he skied closer, the harsh wails of her terrible singing stung his ears. Horrific as her voice was, he couldn't help but smile, intrigued.

Elisa might rev his anger and push him to the limit, but never could he say she bored him. She was too fresh and honest and fun to ever lose his interest. Crazy as it seemed, he could spend the rest of his life listening to her shrieking attempt at “Causing a Commotion.”

Maxim skied up to the cabin and took off his skis. Propping them at the back door, he picked up his pack, which contained the Igloo lunchbox holding his catch of the day and let himself inside.

Yanking off his hat and gloves, he set everything in the kitchen and took out his fish, holding it by the mouth directly in front of him. Quietly, he walked into the living room.

Only to find a petite, pink-haired lunatic flinging her body around like it was rubber.

Who the hell? What the hell?

He stared in shock. “Uh, can I help you?”

The clown woman dressed in polka-dotted clothes twice her size stumbled to a halt, spinning to face him. “Oh my God!” she squealed, clutching her chest and gawking at him like he were the intruder. “Oh my God! Max Cox? Oh my God! A fish! Ew!” Sucking in a sharp breath, she leapt onto the couch, as if would protect her from tonight's dinner. “You scared me to death! Get rid of that thing!”

Talk about weird. Dropping his catch to his side, he prowled into the room, looking around. The music boomed through the room and she remained perched on the furniture, gawking.

“Yeah, Max Cox. The one and only…” She remembered him, but he was clueless. He swept his gaze over her once again, trying to place her. “And you are?”

He glanced around the room again. No sign of Elisa in sight. What this some sort of prank?

“Lizzy,” she answered in a cold tone.

Obviously, she was as wary of him as he was she.

He froze. Wait a sec. Lizzy? Only the woman who wanted to shoot him. He should be the one on the couch, half-terrified, not vice versus. Turning, he faced her again…after all, he probably shouldn't have his back turned to her.

“Lizzy, Elisa's sister. That's right. I hope you left your rifle at home.”

“I wish now that I would have brought it.”

“I really wish all these references to killing me would end. What did I ever do to you?” He blew out a frustrated breath. He didn't have time to worry about this right now. He wanted his blow job. Speaking of which…where was Elisa?

Finally, she plopped down on the couch, still staring at him and his fish like they were the enemy. “Where's Elisa?”

“That's what I was just wondering.” He shook his head, flustered. “If she's not here, then she's still out there. Somewhere.”

She
was
still hiding. That wasn't good…

His stomach knotted in fear. This didn't feel right. She'd been out there too long. The woods had been too quiet.

Was she tricking him…or was it something worse?

He ran his free hand through his hair. “I need to find her.”

And he knew just where to look first. Fool him once, shame on her. Fool him twice, shame on him.

M
axim
strapped on his boots and half waded, half ran toward the spot not far from the cabin where she'd hidden the last time. He'd already searched the rest of the woods before returning to the cabin—everywhere but this area because he'd never figured she'd use the same place twice. Now, he just prayed she was there. And all right.