Hide and Seek (20 page)

If she wasn't…

He didn't want to consider the possibilities.

Fifteen minutes later, he navigated the trail through the trees, searching for a sign of the cave. The silence of the woods echoed around him. It was so quiet he could hear his own breathing, his pulse.

He spotted indentations in the snow. Footprints filled in by today's storm. Yes! This was it. He peered over the edge.

And his world stopped spinning.

Elisa lay face down, her body covered with at least an inch of snow. “Elisa? Elisa!”

No response.

His heart kicked in his chest, pumping a tidal wave of adrenaline through him as he jumped over the cave's edge and scurried to her side.

What was wrong with her? Had the little idiot passed out after being up too late last night? Why wasn't she moving?

He dropped to her knees. “Elisa? Elisa, wake up!”

She didn't budge.

A
wave of nausea threatened Maxim as he knelt beside her. She looked so lifeless. Almost…

Dead.

It couldn't be. Not Elisa.

“Elisa!”

Nothing. No response. No acknowledgement.

His heart pounded in his ears, his hands shaking as he moved to brush the hair from her face and press his palm to her cheek. Lukewarm. Not good. With the amount of snow covering her, she had to have been lying there at least an hour.

He turned her over and pulled her into his arms. Redness discolored the left half of her face where it had been pressed to the icy ground; a good sign her blood was still flowing, though her lips were deathly pale.

His fingers went to her neck and found a pulse. Relief poured through Maxim as he leaned in and placed his cheek to her mouth. Her breathing was even. Steady.

Thank God.
She was alive.

If only she would wake up. Tell him what's wrong.

“Elisa!” he shouted, his voice weakening into a plea as he cradled her. “Damn it, come on, baby, wake up. What's wrong?”

He ran his hand over her bloodshot skin, then slapped her cheek. Her head lolled to the side. “Elisa!”

She'd be lucky if her face wasn't frostbitten, but that wasn't what had knocked her unconscious. Jerking off her hat, he searched her head for bumps. Nothing.

“Come on, angel!” He gave her a little shake. “Elisa, wake up!”

Suddenly she sneezed and her eyelids fluttered. Under her breath, she murmured something unintelligible.

“What, angel? What is it?”

She coughed and tossed her head to the side. “It's hot.”

Hot? That didn't make sense. Unless…

Tugging down her zipper, he slipped his hand under her long john shirt and gauged her body temperature. Jesus, she was burning up. Sick. “You little fool! You're lucky you're not dead!”

Why hadn't she gone back to the cabin? If she hadn't been feeling well, she never should've instigated this stupid game.

And
she
was teaching
him
to survive in the wilderness?

“Sorry…” Her voice was weak, blurred. Her eyes opened then fell shut again.

“Sorry?” he ground out through clenched teeth. “What if I hadn't found you?”

He waited for a response that didn't come.

Anger and concern overwhelmed him and his throat threatened to close.

Maxim sucked in a deep breath, willing the emotions away. Now wasn't the time for a breakdown. Elisa needed to get warmed up. She needed a doctor.

Holding her tight, he stood. “Let's get you home.”

“Mmmm…Maxim?” she whimpered. She buried her face in his chest. “Am…am I a-all r-r-right?”

“I sure hope so,” he muttered, wading up the steep, slippery incline toward the trail. “But boy am I going to beat your butt when you get better.”

M
adonna
music still blared through the cabin as he barged through the door. “Lizzy!” he shouted. “Elisa needs help!”

In a split second, Lizzy was standing before him, inspecting Elisa. Panic contorted her face. “What happened? What did you do to her?”

“I'll be okay,” Elisa moved slightly in his arms, barely conscious. “Where am I?”

Okay? She was delirious!

He tightened his grasp on her limp body, drawing her snug against his chest. “She's not all right. I found her passed out in the snow,” he answered. “She's sick. Under these clothes, she's burning up.”

Lizzy shook her head. “Her fever is probably what saved her.” Laying a hand to Elisa's forehead, she bit her lower lip. “I know she always carries pocket warmers and her body is likely warm from running a temperature, but her head is too cool.” She ran her hands along Elisa's body. “Her extremities too.” She gulped and stepped back. “Thank God you found her.”

Their eyes met for a brief moment, then Lizzy jerked her gaze away. Anger radiated from her. If looks could kill, he'd be six feet under.

Let her hate him. He only cared about Elisa and making certain she was okay. “She needs a doctor. We need to get her to a hospital.”

Disgust twisted Lizzy's lips. “And chance losing her to the cold? No. We have to warm her up slowly.” Whirling on her heels, Lizzy waved for him to follow. “Bring her into to the bathroom. Strip, both yourself as well as her, and hug her tight. I'll run a bath.”

“Strip?” Maxim raised a brow, following after her. He'd do anything to help Elisa, but Lizzy's request seemed a little odd.

Then again, she was odd.

Lizzy shoved open the bathroom door and stormed into the room, throwing back the shower curtain.

“Shy, Maxim? Plenty of women have seen what you have to offer. Keep your underwear on, but do as I say.” She cranked on the cold water, then adjusted the hot. When he didn't instantly move, she threw her hands up. “She needs your warmth, Maxim, so get moving! It's your damn fault she was out there, so be a man for once! Oh, I wish I had that gun!”

His
fault?

Shocked, Maxim laid Elisa on the floor and removed his clothes. He'd long since caught on to the fact that Lizzy didn't like him—a person only had to threaten to shoot him once for their dislike to sink in—but her blame…

It ate at him.

Was
it his fault?

“Maxim…” Elisa sighed, sounding pathetic; something he'd never imagined her being. She was the strongest woman he knew, brought to her knees by
his
presence in her life.

Sure, Elisa had instigated the whole affair, but he'd pushed her to it. He'd come to her cabin, begged and insisted until she'd had to give in.

What's more, he'd been too slow. Had he caught that fish sooner, skied better, walked faster…

Been more of a man…

Maybe it was a sign. A sign he could never be enough for Elisa.

Maxim's stomach revolted at the thought and he looked to Lizzy, feeling desperate. Panicked. The evil gaze she rewarded him with did nothing to help.

She shook her head at him and knelt beside Elisa, untying her boots.

Swallowing back bile, he jerked his socks off. He couldn't think about this. Right now, he had to help Elisa. Nothing mattered more than getting her warm.

“Nice, Maxim,” Lizzy snapped, rolling her eyes at the sight of his naked butt.

He ignored her. He hadn't had underwear on—one pair only lasted so long and Elisa's didn't fit—so bare-assed naked, with Madonna still booming in the background, he bent and began to undress Elisa, trying not to let his lack of clothes bother him.

“You're being too slow.” Lizzy pulled over Elisa's socks. “I should know better. Never trust a man to handle anything. Not efficiently.”

Maxim bit back an ugly retort. He was standing here naked for hell's sake!

But now was not the time. Besides, he wasn't properly dressed for his funeral.

Hugging Elisa's bare torso against his chest, her pulled her onto his lap and let his body heat warm her as Lizzy pulled down her pants.

“Not now, Maxim,” Elisa muttered under her breath. “I have a headache.”

He couldn't help his smile. Sounded like something a wife would say to her husband…every night. He cupped her head in the scoop of his arm, pressing it tight to his chest.

Following Lizzy's lead, he rubbed Elisa's hands as Lizzy massaged her feet. Welcome silence fell between them, the only noise in the room the sound of running water.

The iciness to Elisa's fingers was finally starting to thaw and he moved his way up her arm, the heat of her fever becoming more prominent, and the guilt plaguing him, burning hot.

He didn't want Elisa to be sick. He didn't want Lizzy to despise him. If only he could take it all back…start a relationship with Elisa the right way. Make it real, not a game.

He swallowed, needing to say something, anything, to ease the tension. “She is conscious and talking. That's a good sign.”

Lizzy grunted.

Christ, the nutty woman had a mean streak—but why was it directed straight at him? He understood her blame, but it wasn't like he'd intentionally hurt Elisa. “Lizzy, I swear to you, I didn't mean for something like this to happen. I—”

“Men never mean it,” Lizzy snapped, cutting him off. She scowled, her lips curled in a snarl. “Yeah. Jerk faces like you never
mean
to hurt women, now do you? It's always unintended, but it happens just the same.” She shook her head in disgust. “Just shut up and let's get her in the tub.”

Stunned speechless, Maxim followed Lizzy's directions, more worried over Elisa than anything, but Lizzy's harsh attack had him feeling like the world's biggest, most useless jerk. For the first time in his life, he wished he could be someone different.

A
n
hour later, Elisa's temperature was normal and she was tucked in bed, napping. Maxim wanted to sit next to her, to hold her hand, but Lizzy had assumed that position and banned him from the room.

Enough was enough. Lizzy might be her sister, but he was Elisa's lover. He had every right to be in there!

Maxim paced the hall. To date, he'd never let anyone push him around—not anyone but Elisa—and he didn't intend to allow some pink-haired nut job to.

He should be with Elisa. Making up for letting her be out there so long.

That was it. He was going in. Facing the dragon.

Knocking sharply on the bedroom door, he promptly barged in. “I'm not staying out here any longer, Lizzy. She's my girlfriend, damn it, and I—”

“Please.” Lizzy rolled her eyes. “Your girlfriend? Guys like you don't have ‘girlfriends,' they have fast fucks.”

Ouch.

“You don't even know me, Lizzy. That's a harsh judgment to make.”

“Please, Maxim, I remember you from college. You dated—and abandoned—several of my friends,” she snapped.

“Oh.” Maxim looked at her. Funny, he didn't remember her.

“You don't have a clue who I am, do you?”

“Sorry.” Maxim took a seat on the opposite side of the bed, trailing his fingers over Elisa's torso. She was fast asleep. His eyes met Lizzy's hard glare and he refused to back down. “Lizzy, Elisa is different.”

“Until you grow tired of her.”

“She's different. She makes me feel different. I won't grow tired of her.” He cleared his throat. “I know you blame me for her being sick. I blame me. But I can't just turn my back on her.”

“Please.” An angry breath of air escaped Lizzy. “What do you really want with her?”

“I don't know,” he answered honestly. “More than I should.”

“Maxim, you are anything but a sensitive man. You're not in love, you're in lust. Don't play her.”

“I'm not.”

For a moment, something in her gaze wavered. Looking away, she chomped her gum, sarcasm warping her features. “Whatever.” She blew a bubble until it popped, then blew another. “Fortunately, I think she's going to be all right. Unfortunately, my club opens in an hour and I have to be there.”

Thank God.

“She'll be fine,” he assured her. “I'll take care of her, so don't worry.”

She nodded and leaned down, placing a kiss to Elisa's cheek. Standing, she crossed her arms and headed toward the door. “I'm going to ask my doctor to make a special trip out. There's no way Elisa can ski into town and she should see someone.”

“Great.”

“Yeah. Great.” Lizzy paused at the door, studying him hard. “You know, you're a jerk and all, but thanks Maxim.”

“For what?”

“For being here for her.” A devilish smile formed on Lizzy's lips. “For not being such an ass for once in your life, for giving her some no-strings attached orgasms, and for leaving, as soon as she's better.”

With that, Lizzy walked out.